The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1915-06-28
PRIMARY CAUSE OF
WAR TOOK PLACE
AYr: e, AGo:7oD
81 y .-.....
Servian Conspirato4 fascinated
Archduke Francis Fero. Heir
to Austro-H Hungarian Th- + :
ALL PR0PHBsIES PROVE WRONG
No Nation Has Registered Any Deci-
sive Victory Nor Seems Likely to
Do So-Mistakes Made.
UNITED Press)


today the primary cause of the Euro
pean war occurred at Serajevo, the
capital of Bosnia, when Servian con-
spirators assassinated the Archduke
Francis Ferdinand, heir to the Aus
tro-Hungarian throne, and his NOR
gantic wife, the Duchess of Hohen-
burg. The anniversary of the crime
of Serajevo finds eight nations trying
to overwhelm the Teutonic countries
and their Turkish ally, with the re-
suit of the conflict so undetermined
as to make this the most significant
fact of the war. Today, it is no.
body's fight.
Prophesies have been unfultilled
during the past four seasons amazing
ly for the war has swept most pre-
cedents aside. At the beginning of
hostilities the Germans were said to
be facing the necessity of winning
the war during the first summer or
of being overwhelmed when the AL
lies modified their full strength.
Then came the autumn prediction
that the Germans would soon be In
the throes of economic distress. Win
ter brought with it a prophecy that
General February" would lead the
Russians through the SHOWS far into
the enemy's country. Spring was to
see the development of the Allies
offensive in the west, and the begin
ming of Germany's permanent retire.
ment from Belgium and France.
No Decisive Victories.
Summer has once more returned,
and one of the major expectations
aroused during the interval has been
realized. The war has developed a
creative process of it's own, whose
results can be anticipated only in
slight measure and then are sub
ject to day by day corrections. indie
cision is the first years verdict Of
the war. No nation has done any
thing decisive, nor seems likely to do
so. The nearest approach to a de-
cisiye result has been won by the
British navy. Despite the individual
exploits of German warships, the
mass activity of Great Britain fleets
has almost entirely destroyed Ger
many industrially, in theoretical &C
cord, at least, with the higher strate-
gic desires of the British govern
ment.
Not a Success.
Germany's reply to the activities
of the British navy has not been a
success. The submarine warfare has
proven impotent seriously to damage
British foreign trade, because of the
immense number of merchantmen at
the disposal Of England's shippers.
While Germany's submarine activi-
ties have produced optimistic rejoic-
ings at home; these are quite out of
proportion to the actual hurt done
the British empire. In reality the
submarines have been. engines OF
vengeance seeking to retaliate, re-
CARELESS of military or strategic
value, for the relentness pressure OF
Britain's Overwhelmingly superior
war fleets. But, retaliation is only
an incident in warfare, and so Ger.
many's submarines are having only
an incidental effect on the security
of England's commerce.
AS the British navy has dominated
the seas since the beginning of the
war, so has the German army con
trolled the land situation. Except
for a few square miles in southern
Alsace, German soil is free Of invad
ers, while Germany's enemies else
where are held at bay far within theil
own boundaries. No such cOmbina
ton of individual courage, strategic
skill, organizing capacity, READINGS:
and foresight has ever before beer
united in a nations military service
as the German armies have displayed
since they took the field last summer
For Capture of Paris.
Nevertheless, one primary mistake
Continued on last page).