Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-03-16

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ing too powerful to be tempered with
by next fall, the whole thing is going
to be wiped out.
War Speculation.
While there are all kinds Of opinions
as to the probable outcome Of the Eu-
ropean war, no individual with a rea-
sonable grasp Of the facts involved, can
feel any very great certainty as to just
how the whole matter Is going to be
settled.
From the dispatches that are being
published in the newspapers, 1t is more
difficult than the public can realize, to
get a correct idea Of the truth. This
is not the fault Of the newspapers. or
of the news agencies; but rather Of the
interested governments. All of the
press censors are interested in having
every fact that develops colored to the
interest Of the governments to which
the censors belong, and they have the
power to so manage. The plain, bare
truth about anything is rarely allowed
an unobstructed right Of way, and 1t
would be difficult to recognize 1t even
If it should happen to get loose.
According to VI general view OF
this present situation, as we have
heretofore expressed, the principals IN
this war are England and Germany.
Each Of the other warning powers has
q special interest to promote; but all
these interests r Of subsidiary i'm.
portance to the struggle between the
two leading nations. In their titanic
struggle for supremacy, n over the
other, England and Germany are using
the other powers merely, as auxiliaries
and whatever either of the other pow
ers may think they are going to get in
the event Of the success OF their re-
spective principals, they are not going
to get much of what they want unless
it is entirely agreeable for the domi-
mating power to give it to them.
All this is a matter Of opinion, may
be; but the opinion is based mainly on
the facts Of history. This present war
is at least the third or fourth war in
the great European struggle and the
main issue, the supremacy Of the con-
tending powers over each other, Is
about the same. ,
But what we are talking about Just
now is the probable outcome Of the
present struggle, whether England or
Germany will come out on top, or
whether the great issue, the absolute
supremacy Of one I'VE the other, will
be settled at all e..
From reading the published dis
patches only one Is apt to be led to
believe that the final domination OF the
allies Is as certain as are the days to
come and pass; but we do not feel that
way. We are inclined to think that the
chances are in favor Of the allies rath-
er than the Germans; but still there Is
room for considerable doubt as to
whether the British will finally win.
The strength Of Germany is her
army, and the strength Of England Is
her fleet. In her fleet England Is more
than a match for Germany, Austria
and Turkey, and several other powers
thrown in. Germany has been more
thar holding her own against he 9TH
ers with her armies SO far and II n
defeats them on land she will stand q
very good show of finally invading n
overcoming England.
While for the most part since winter
weather commenced, the war has drag
ged on slowly, especially in the west
ern theatre, 1t is practically certain
that so soon as spring opens up the
operations Of both sides will become
fiercer and bloodier than anything that
has occurred yet, Notwithstanding that
the operations Of the past winter have
surpassed anything that has heretofore
been known in the way OF war.
But note the significance OF the Ger
man operations in Russia since tney
were checked on their way to Paris;
how the Germans went over against
the Russians, and how they have since
been using all their forces not neces-
sary for defense in the west, to push
their operations in the east. :,
While 1t Is impossible TO 1oresee Ill
the complications that may arise by the
entry Of additional powers into the
fray, suppose Germany succeeds IN
forcing Russia to her knees, and MAX
ing her sue for peace. That Is not Inn
possible. Among the conditions may
be a big money indemnity, the giving
up of such ships as she may have, n
the surrender Of her cannon, arms n
other munitions. Then with the i'm
mense German army that Is now oper-
ating in Russia released for service In
France, and combined with the armies
already there, along with such rein
forcements as are still available, how
long will it take this terrible force to
the combined French and Eng
lish forces now opposed? Such a thing
Is easily possible. And then with
France overrun, the Germans might
have a freer hand in operating against
England across the channel.
OF course there are many Ifs m
other considerations in such develop
ments; but somehow we have an idea
that many Of the ifs are already being
pretty we'll accounted for.