Evening star., 1915-01-01
The New Years Possibilities.

The old year has gone and the new
year has come. The record OF the pas,
twelve months Is finished and new
page is opened for tale OF happenings
that no man can now foresee. The
dominant thought today in the minds
of all Americans is that 1915 may be
the year of peace; that whatever may
befa1l their own land, the warning ma
tions Of Europe may be brought to the
point of arbitration or adjustment; that
arms may be laid aside and the sound
of guns may cease, and the tremendous
task of rehabilitation may begin.
AS for the prospects of peace in
1915, there is no basis for conjecture.
From Europe come predictions of a
long-continued struggle, and again
there are those who look for a settle
ment within a few months. It would
seem to be impossible for the war to
continue at the present rate of slaugh-
ter and devastation throughout the
year, and yet preparations are making
for campaign that may last two
years and half longer. If this should
be the case the destruction of life, on
the scale of the past five months, will
be such as the world has never before
known in any of it's most sanguinary
struggles.
1t seems perhaps out Of balance to
consider purely domestic business con-
Germs in the light of the catastrophe
from which the old world is now sui.
fer1ng, and yet it is the undoubted
i hope of Americans that 1915 will bring
a renewal OF prosperity to this coun-
htry Confident expectations of such a
development are expressed on all sides.
II is Dei1eved that the business depres-
2 sion due in part to the war and in
. part to domestic political and social
% conditions, will yield to the natural re-
actlon and that early in the year the
business balance will swing upward.
win the result of an enlargement of
employment and a diminution of the
sprivations that have been lamentablv
evident during the PAST few months.
: social conditions are actually sound
in the United States and there is eyerv
s reason for prosperity save SO far as
our Industrial situation may be unfa-
vorably affected by the European
struggle. With everybody talking con-
ndence the spirit will soon dominate
the entire citizen body. Trade must
4 adjust to the changed and changing
conditions resultant from the war.
Legislation holds no conceivable sur-
prises or checks
Washington has suffered comnara.
tlvely little from the business depres-
i,sfon of the past year, owing to the abb
-sence of large industrial establish
ments such as those which elsewhere
oare quickly affected by unfortunate
trade conditions. It's business has
been close TO normal and its present
spirit is one of unfaltering optimism
with regard to the future. The Dis
trict is confronted with a crisis, how
ever. in its relations with the federal
government. fnasmuch as the House of
Representatives has adopted a provi-
sion destructive of the vital principle
: OF the organic act. It is confidently
expected that this provision will be
negatived by the Senate and that that
nody will firmly stand against any In
traction of the established relations
between the District and the federal
government. In this respect the year
1915 will be momentous for the Ma
tfonal Capital. and the hope Of the cfti-
zens of Washington is that 1t will re-
suit in Strengthening of the equities
which command the participation of
the United States in the maintenance
of the federal municipality.