Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-11-01
BRITISH unable
TO PREDICT END
OF EUROPEAN WAR
Officers All Agree That Ger
man Defeat Is Certain, but
Cannot Tell When it Will
Come.

London, Nov. 1.-"You will have to
ask Germany"
This was the answer of distinguish
ed English officer recently back from
the front when the familiar query was
put to him: ''When will the war end?"
I'VE know what we can give Them"
he continued, but we do not know as
yet just how much they are prepared
to stand. or are willing to stand. In
the meantime we will increase the
pressure more and more until the break
comes"
With the turning of the tide on the
western battlefields there was natur-
ally disposition here to feel that hos
tilities soon would be over. The Of
ficers and men of the army do not share
these views, however, and are constant
ly cautioning the people at home
against the idea that the issue will be
settled within the next few months.
ANOTHER YEAR AT LEAST.
From conversations with scores of
officers familiar with the situation at
the front it can be stated that they do
not expect the war to end at the earl
lest before next autumn. There are
many who believe there are two more
years of fighting before the allied ma
tions.
I'VE have got long way to CO. said
General Sir William Robertson. Kitch-
ener's successor. few days ago. And
we must be ready to go all the way,
he added Fight to a finish is the
prder. There must be no slackening off
On the contrary, there must be great
Tightening up"
~ x,rfl Ia n definite
prediction as to the end of the war.
I'VE must be prepared to go on for
period of time which it is impossible
to estimate" said Sir William. And
that expresses the opinion of the army
There may be various influences al
work which they know nothing of
there is the constant talk heard here OF
internal troubles in Germany, but the
army officer only looks at the map.
He still sees a long road ahead before
the victory he has in mind can become
reality. The military defeat of Ger
many, and that is the only defeat the
army looks forward to, means an in
vasion oflthe German empire. Genera
Sir O'Moore Creagh, the distinguished
Irish ". c. has said:
LONDON SHOWS ELATION.
THE Indian Lancers may never ride
through the Brandenburg states, but thu
end of the war will not come until 1t II
possible for them to do So"
Things are going so well at the west
ern front that it is difficult even TO
any words of warning to dull the spiri
of elation in London. With German!
on the defensive it is felt here that tn
enemy is no longer fighting 20 retail
all he seized in the first great on
slaught of the war, but is rather strug
Cling to hold as much as possible unit!
peace shall come. There is the pre-
dicted shortening of the western line
which Londoners confidently look 70
from day to day.
On the other hand is the statement o
General Foch, the French comm andel
who declares the Germans are so tight
ly held in the west it is impossible TO
them to eithe. to advance or to retrea
In any great number.
I'VE are on them III said, like
corrosive acid. We have eaten int
their flanks and they can't throw us of
You cannot always see acid at work bu
the disintegrating process is going o
all the time"
CAN PREVENT RETREAT.
The artillery of the allies on tn