The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-05

1T Is high time that undue opti-
mism. Dragging. threats and predictions
OF what We are going to do with DER
many and her allies after the war
should cease and that We should calmly
and bravely face the situation that
threatens the liberty OF the civilized
world. which may fall under the domin-
ION OF a brutal r~eact!onary and merci-
less Power. ruled by a modern Caligula
The prospect. though appalling. Is
not likely to be realized. but II Is quite
possible and to forestail this calamity
every ounce of energy and resource OF
the British Empire is necessary. Our
splendid allies are sparing nothing. and
We are not only bound In honor to take
u fair and equal share in this world
wide conflict but also we must do SO
II. as men and Britons. We mean to pro-
tect all that IL nearest and dearest TO
us from the fate that will befall them
II our foe triumphs. The fact Is. the
mailed fist cannot he fought with worsted
mittens.
W. have experience OF what Ger
many Is and what she will do We have
the example OF the raids upon u open
own and the murder OF our women
and little children by Zeppelins but the
Government has not as far as one can
ascertain taken any steps to stop Ger
many's aerial murderers. by officially
proclaiming that every raid upon us will
I've promptly followed by a still more
serious one on a German W
There is one thing that We must re-
member-that Germany's hatred of us
Is a real thing n II will drive her
as 1t has driven her already to do any
thing that may nelp her to gain. not
merely a military advantage but to in
fi,t pt,,rx, and o,tNnrtpU on NJ ,t.iIta,
population. Fighting against such an
enemy the only method TO be adopted
Is to do unto him a. he may do unto
us. When the Tcuton's own methods
are practised on his wi kind II will
at least give him pause 1t will make
him think that the policy Of f~rightfulness
has its dra wbacks when II can be prac-
tised by his adversary.
ION the western front all the news at
the time Of writing Is good. But II may
be frankly stated here that all criticism
OF the war Is necessarily based largely
on suppOsition. We do not know the
number of our troops In the fighting
line. nor the number OF the French
troops, Nor have We anything but the
vaguest idea OF the numerical strength
of the Germans. nor do We know except
approximately the position OF our lines
or those Of u allies,
Now tn form an accurate Idea of the
progress of the var accurate knowledge
OF these points would be essential. But
there are things that We do know. We
know hat the great British and French
advance WAS accomplished against a de-
fence that the Germans had always given
us In particular and the world In general
to understand was impregnable. Moth
ing could make Roadway against their
entanglements. their fortified trenches,
and all Of their Internal devices In the
way OF liquid Are and whatever else
their chemists may have invented. But
we know that their defences have been
broken through by our troops and those
of III allies.
THE Germans have made some des-
perate efforts to regain the lost defences.
but their attacks were all unsuccessful
and we learn that In front of the British
lines. after what was probably the
fierCest attack on us delivered by the
Germans in the whole Of the campaign
In the west, no less than 5000 lay dead.
Now an important point to consider In
relation to this attack by the Germans
Ia that It was no longer made at all In
the hope of breaking through our lines
to reach q given objective but was simply
a desperate, terribly costly and I believe
absolutely useless effort to stay our ad-
vance"