The Alaska daily empire., 1915-01-15


 1915 WILL BE 4
 YARDSTICK YEAR
 -s-
 The books of the slbyl always inI high esteem, would command an un-I usual premium today seldom has that arbitrary time space which vel chrlsten Q year seemed at It's advent go iraught with potentialities of mo. ment to the world.
 Some tYelvemonths at their dawn lng have promised more or less in. definitely the issue of concerns great to parts of the globe, but unknown or. unheeded by the rest of mankind This new year gives tangible promise Of 2 revelation quite planetary In slgnifi- canoe. If it docs not span the whole remaining orbit of Che great war, 1t should at least give an almost certain clue to tho identities of victor and vanquishad.
 Lord Kitchener has made bis pre- dicuona md plans for two more such units of duration. based, Of course on assumptions as to time reQuirea for the complete defeat of the adversary. Other high opinions abroad founded not so much on military developments to date as on fundamental conditions regarded In tho light of those devel- opments, feel confident that as mat. ter Of prediction, contrasted with prep. aratlon, the peace VIII be assured by 1916. This theory comports with Che status and the aims Of both parties to Che conflict.
 Germany as winner or as loser cam not be credited with Inclination, al- though perhaps having the ability to sustain Q long conflict If she is io triumph through one or more smash ing coupg, every incentive is hers to deliver them before 1915 has run its course. If toward the end of the per- iod she has thus tried and iailed- al of which means high tension war fare meanwhile-she wili surely have the dissilusioned intelligence to mako the best of q fatal eQuatadon The chances that are open for longer du- ration of hostiiitics would seem Co lie rather in German successes SO mod. crate as to be unconyincing Co the M- lies or in a prolongation Of the dead. lock, keeping hope mutually alive
 As against the influence of such conditions must be set the self-con- suming intensity of the struggle. Com pared to it tho wars of the past were leisurely and lnnocous. That this this pressure of combat be maintained at its maximum is to the apparent ad- vantage Of all Che combatants. But neither they nor the world can either or else will In their growing desta- ton be inclined to stand sucf 8 pace indefinitely The very fury and size of the connagration must be reckon ed among the time factors.
 For the neu,rals of the world 1915 should mean much in the way of detl- nition. It should disclose the mature and measure the scope of the wars indirect charges in their fortunes eith- CT way. No neutral can be the same thing as before. intrinsically or In out ward relations. With the passing oil 191f there was pretty well completed the recovery of mental poIse and the repairing of the general mechanism into readiness for normal operation. What will be the altered processes and products-the coefiicients of new obstruction and new property? A Yery informing answer should be returned by l9l5
 The United States the great neu tral should learn much in the com ing months. It may encounter many surprises, may see many Illusions bro. ken It will begin to perceive what It's share Of the universal burden of capital depletion must be. It will dis cover the location and character Of the new chances which may compen. snte and perhaps will for outweigh that burden of enhanced cost of capital Especially will 1t begin to discover how genuine or lasting are many Of the prospects that now allure
 This new yelr should be one of the most conspicuous yardstcks in his-H tory. Each month. week and even each day should yield new measurements of war and peace Boston News Bu- reau)