The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-13
Europe 100 Years
After Waterloo
Vast Changes in
Methods of War
Continued from Third Page.

will be done by others IN the COMING
era OF peace. But who is going to do
their work now. this coming summer,
this next winter, the year following
and the year following that one-dur-
ing the next three years. Ave years,
ten ~years-should the war last that
long?
Well, the contestants to-day have a
source Of supply for work that a
not in existence, at least was not
available at the time of Waterloo. or
during twenty years previous, while
Napoleon was sweeping back and
forth across the Continent. undis-
mayed, all but ~unhindered. Then Eu-
rope very largely had to depend on
herself. To-day she Is drawing-at
least the Allies are awing-upon
North and South America. the orient
and the isles Of the sea. from what
ever localities man has entered. estab-
fishing himself as a producing agent.
Germany. OF course. also would draw
freely upon these sources Of supply IL
she could. Neutral business men
would sell on German orders without
hesitation; but herein Germany is
handicapped by her antagonists.
notably by the navies Of England and
France, which prevent supplies from
reaching her. To offset this handicap
the inventive genius Of Germany has
introduced into warfare a new element
of destruction, the submarine torpedo
boat.
Neutral nations are playing a part
in this war which none likewise played
prior to or during the era OF Waterloo.
The outbreak OF the present wal saw
Belgium, in a few days, conquered.
Not long afterward Germany held por-
lions OF France. which included i'm
portant mines. mills. factories of all
kinds whence France normally would
draw supplies of arms. ammunition
and various equipment for her armies.
England cannot supply all the needed
arms n projectiles: neither can Rus
sh furnish such necessaries in enor-
nous volume. Hence the Allies have
sought and continue to seek, not
merely munitions but horses, mules,
motor trucks, aircraft and other ma
terial from various countries not at
war. notably from the United States.
As a contrast to this the position Of
Germany reveals perhaps the most
superb organization of military nature
ever seen on earth. She is making a
loud TODD about food supplies being
cut on by England's navy. but many
observers doubt whether food Is
me~asurably scarce or Is likely TO be in
Germany. Her powers Of self-support
IN this direction are well known. At
any rate Germany has ~astonished the
world by her ability to maintain a
nghting line of some four hundred
miles In the west and from a thousand
10 fourteen miles in length at
the eastern front-the length of the
lines. particularly in the east. varying
from time to time. The truth Of the
matter is that Germany was prepared;
France largely prepared, but seriously
crippled by sudden loss of regions con.
taining the mines. mills. ore fields, &c,
already alluded to: whereas the shock
o. hostilities fell with full force upon
England-upon al England not pre-.
pared.
Years ago Lord Roberts saw this
struggle coming; he warned his coun-
try. he begged it to make ready for
the storm that was gathering. But
England turned a deaf ear. To-day
England knows better.
With the memory OF Waterloo, with
still fresher memory Of the Franco
Prussian war, with full knowledge of
the steady. complete, uninterrupted
preparations Germany had been maxi
ing for forty years, why did England
fail to see the storm cloud? Britain
must have known that a revolution in
conditions of life since the days of
Waterloo, the storm. when il burst,
would burst with instant explosion.
Neither Napoleon nor Wellington
could rush armies across Europe at
fifty miles an hour: they had no wire
less for immediate despatch and re-
ceipt OF orders: they had no motor
trains OF armed cars nor any Of a
score Of other examples of military
enginery now available. Yet England
declined to heed Roberts.
Many have asked why this neglect
was possible. in view Of history. as
well as in view Of Germany's unceas-
Ing preparations, decade after decade.
One suggestion made by Seabury c.
Mastick, a student OF world conditions,
is that for a long time the old tide of
Norman blood has been gradually dy-
ing out Of official England: that the
leaders Of thought and action in Great
Britain for some years past ave been
men not descended from those who
came over with the C%onqueror: and
that blood OF very different kind has
been flowing in the arteries and veins
Of modern England. To demonstrate
his proposition, Ma stick cites the men
who have been in power in England
during the past few years.
The situation was different at the
time OF Waterloo. When the Congress
Of Vienna solemnly declared Napoleon
an outlaw and determined to crush
him, it did so only after careful prep
aration. The allies did not allow Ma
poleon to swoop down upon them with
out warning. Despite Wellington and
Butcher, who wanted instant action,
the Gar did prevail upon the con-
gress as a whole to defer attack on the
French until he could get his Rus
sian troops transported to the borders
OF France. But this agreement had
to be broken by reason of that march
which Napoleon ordered to be taken
Just one hundred years & tonight.
Even so, Wellington was ready, and
the Belgian contingent. and Butcher
with his 80. 900 men-ready and fully
prepared, ready to wait for the Rus
slams II nothing happened; but, also
ready to strike at once II the enemy
forced their hands. And they did so.
Those who base their hope OF an
early peace In the European struggle
upon some great decisive action on
n ~ ehA fra-s. A.