The Washington times., 1915-08-01

formed forecasts of such a war as
this. Everywhere was discussion of
the economic effects of a year of
such a struggle, with expression of
confident opinion that these would
in that period bring decision near.
All this was mistaken, as this news
paper ut the time steadfastly in
sisted. Today the world knows. The
military climax, nears; the economic
crisis is seemingly as far ahead as
ever.
If q guess might be ventured, it
would be that the war in historic re-
views will one day be divided into
three periods. The year that has
passed will be the first period, dur
ing which the military might of the
combatants was mobili1ed, and lines
were laid down for a struggle SO
much greater than anybody had at
the outset been able to conceive,
that all advance calculations were
brushed into the discard. The Sec
ond year, opens with preparation, on
the whole, completed; with all
parties ready for the really telling
test. That test may occupy the Sec
ond year with military operations
of the first magnitude. 1t will see
the development of Italy's great Of
fensive against Austria. It will see
the conclusion of operations against
the Dardanelles, for which there
can be but one outcome; that is in
evitable. 1t will see political de-
velopmeuts that may yet well-nigh
double the number of nations in the
struggle--with Roumania, Bulgaria,
Greece, the northern nations, and
the United States as very possible
figures in tive fighting. It will bring
some sort Of naval issue, and'it will
be marked by climactic struggle
on the plainss of France. There are
good reasons ato believe it will see
new zone of major operations
opened, with the allies moving
through Serbia for a great assault
upon Austria. Already it is known
that British forces are in Serbia,
and there is persistent intnnation
that the mystery Of the whereabouts
of Kitchener's army will be solved
by the discovery that it is by no
means destined for exclusive use in
France.
1t will require perhaps a year of
these supreme and wide-fung mill
tary efforts to bring serious and OBJ
vious testimony that economic
weakness is at last beginning to su-
pervene; that numbers of men are
dwindling; that money is either too
hard or too easy to get (according
as it is kept on gold basis or sub
jected to paper infation); and that
the civil communities cannot longer
carry the burden. Perhaps some
supreme military accomplishment
will bring the finish before exhaus-
ton comes; but the Napoleonic
genius has not shown himself yet,
and the character of this war does
not encourage expectation that he
will be developed.
How little the wisest people in the
world know about the world! A
year ago men prophesied that the
war could not be sustained twelve
month; yet they had no idea that it
would be waged on the scale that
has been laid down. The year has
passed, filled with bigger things
than could be forecast, and yet the
issue is farther away than at the
start, and these first twelve months
appear in today's retrospect as
largely period of preparation!
In this war-mad world, with every
day showing new accomplishments
of the impossible, new demonstra-
tions that all calculations were
awry, there are two great coun-
tries that have refused to prepare
themselves adequately for whatever
eventuality might ensue. One is
China, the other is the United
States. China, even within this first
year, has practically lost her indie
pendence; she has been annexed in
all but name by one of the great
military powers.
And still the United States learns
nothing and forgets nothing.
NAShv LIES RECElVERSnlP
The city of Nashville was placed