Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-24
CONAN DOYLE SEES VICTORY FOR ENGLAND;
ONE SUCCESSFUL POUNCE WILL WIN, HE SAYS
Declares Mistakes Few and Tumphs Many Scouts Fantastic
Fears and Pictures the Germans as Walking Into
Trap In Their March Into Turkey

September %. which can even now be
hardly said to have finished. but which
certainly has been British victory.
involving gain Of ground. prisoners
and guns.
Such, in bare, epitome, Is our military
record up to date. 1t is to be remenn-
bered that for the first six months the
Germans had a very marked prepon-
derance of numbers. and that In the
had been eQualized. they had an even
more marked preponderance OF guns
and munitions. By the splendid exer-
tionS of the allies the numbers in the
west are now in our favor and the mu-
nitions at least on an equality.
What, then, may we not expect from
the future?
Very Few Mistakes Made.
Not only have we nothing to reproach
ourselves with and very great deal
upon which to congratulate ourselves
in actual war, but we have, as it seems
to me, made remarkably few mistakes.
Beforehand. thanks to the firmness Of
Mr.. McKenna (first lord of the ad-
eight great ships, and the driving
power Of Mr.. Churchill (f1rst lord from
1911 to 1879 in the years Immediately
oe1ore the war, our navy was ready as
1t had never been before for a supreme
struggle. OF the four army corps.
which were the most that we had ever
thought of sending abroad, two and a
MALT were In time for the first clash,
and the others followed after. We
played our part as we said we would
as we can count gains and losses, be-
tween Germany and ourselves.
II Mr.. McKenna and Mr.. Churchill put
us in a strong position upon the water.
Lord Lord Haldane (ex-war secretary
such great service upon the land. The
British military machine as we and the
Germans know 1t. The splendid terri
torial army, the officers training
corps, which has been of such vital
tionary force int6 a practical reality
all sprang from his clear and far-see-
ing mind. When one remembers his
long defense Of the territorials, the
3ected. the ridicule with which his as
sertion was met that they would have
time after the outbreak Of the war to
become good troops before taking the
field. and when one sees how entirely
his forecast has been borne out, one does
not know which is the more surprising,
his foresight or the ingratitude and
perverseness of SO many of his fellow
countrymen. Future generations will,
think, look upon Lord Haldane as one
Fortunate in the Leaders.
After the outbreak of the war we
have also been extraordinarily fortu-
nate in our leaders. If one searched
backward through the glorious files of
British history one could not pick on
man who was so fitted by nature
and training for the supervision of such
war as Lord Kitchener. His cold,
mathematical brain. his power Of think
ing in terms of the year after next,
his enduring, infexible will power, his
freedom from politics-all Of these
qualities make him an ideal leader in
such war.
And what a collaboration in Mr.. Lloyd
George, who supplies exactly what
soldier lacks-the touch with the
word, acquaintance with practical con-
ditions Of British life!
With such men at home, and with
our leaders on sea and land, from Ad-
miral Jellicoe and Field Marshal
French downward. we can surely face
the future with light heart. Our
troubles have never really been our
own. but have arisen from the fact
that the secret preparations Of the GEN.
trail powers have made them for q lin
their neighbors. The margin of
strength which is wanted we have to
supply. By a miracle OF organization
and national spirit we shall be able to
do so.
The Dangers in Pessimism.
The worst Of this unreasonable, pes
simistic criticism is that It takes the heart
out Of men who are conscious Of their
own good work and makes them feel as
II good and bad were alike. Also. 1t de-
presses the public and makes them
vaguely think that all is wrong when
nearly all is right. The conduct and
handling Of the navy have fortunately
take as an example the continual reitera-
ton Of such phrase AZ THE nauddling OF
the war Office" The extraordinary ef-
dciency OF our war ONCE has been one
Of the surprises of the war. Was it mud
ding when it sent an expeditionary force
abroad with such CELEBRITY and complete
ness, with a commissariat which all
agreed to be unequaled, and with trans
port and medical service which are the
envy of our allies?
fold expansion of our army, but Lord
Kitchener does not do such things by
wave Of a wand They are carried out
by the hard work and organizing power
OF the war office. which has expanded it.
self to tenfold duties within a year.
AS to the munition question, 1t Is
one which came as a surprise to us, as
to all the world, but 1t is notorious
that there were economical, and not
administrative. reasons for the delay
in high explosives. Free trade has, no
doubt many advantages. but 1t has its
corresponding defects, and If you de-
pend upon production in your own land
you are likely to have such a crisis as
we have successfully surmounted
We take our history morning by
morning, and often the morning seems
dark one 1t is not thus that it is
written hereafter. We see every swirl
and backwater. but the man of the fu-
ture will see only the main current Of
the stream. There Is no cause. then,
for pessimism, but rather good reason
why we should be on our knees, thank
ing tho Power that guides our destiny
for evident proof that Great Britain
still has the old clear brain to plan
and the old strong arm to strike