The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1916-01-27
MONTENEGRO AND THE WAR

There is nothing more difficult than
to preserve perspective in the midst
Of great war. Again and again the
mind is distracted from the actual
value Of the event by some spectacular
appeal that it has or by some imagin-
AIRY value attached to it by the nation
which hopes thereby TO impress is
enemies and the neutrals.
To take the case of Montenegro: II
you say that nation with an area
about equal to that of Connecticu. and
Rhode Island and population Of half
million has been conquered and
probably eliminated from the war, 1t
is plain that you are saying that moth
ing of real Importance has happened.
Montenegro never possessed an army
of The strength of regular corps; it
began the war with only a weak divi-
sion; and its resources in men are ex-
hausted.
On the other hand, il you say that
Germany and her allies have conquer
ed another nation, and that now not
less than three countries have been
sweps by the victorious armies of the
two kaisers; if you dwell upon the ex-
tent of this victory as witnessed by
the submission of nations, you can
easily become the victim Of your own
words and perceive triumph which
does not exist and has never existed.
The real issue of the war has de-
pended for many months, actually
from the start, on the outcome Of the
duel between Germany on the one
hand and France and Great Britain on
the other. Austria's mission has been
to deal with Russia and the Balkans
and Austria has never been able to
perform its mission alone, thus weak
nning Germany's position in the face
Of her true foes. Now, in this war be-
tween Germany and her Western foes
the campaigns have proceeded about
as one might expect, when regard is
had for the superior preparation of
Germany and the long time in which
Germany had been maturing her
plans.
After is months 6S,000,000 Germans
have been able to take from an Anglo
French alliance a little more than
5000 square miles Of French territory
Ia twenty-fifth Of France. When this
conquest was made France had little
more than a million troops in the field
and Great Britain rather less than
10000. Germany had for use agains.
France and Great Britain a little less
than million and half. To-day
Great Britain has a million troops in
France and France has on the first
line something over million and
half. On he same front Germany has
between 100000 and l,750,000.
To-day French and British reserves
exceed all remaining German reserves,
and thus insure TO France and Great
Britain permanent superiority in
numbers on the Western front. With
the help of the munitions plants Of The (
United States, France and Great Brit ,
ain have overtaken and passed Ger
many both in the manufacture Of mu- {
ni;ions and OF artillery. In naan-pow, !
er and gun power Germany is now and !
will remain for the period Of the war ,
.. disadvantage. X
Taking now the case Of money: Be- Z
fore the war the combined wealth Of /
France and Great Britain was not less
than twice that cf Germany, and the
reserves Of capital were even greater. a
Germany was in the process Of ex /
tending and developing her plant and I
was putting her earnings back into !
her plant France and Great Britain ,