Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1916-01-06


Russia is the country which will
lies"
That statement sums UP the belief of
Stanley WaShburn. war correspondent,
who has Just arrived in Washington
after having been with the Russian
army virtually since the outbreak Of
the war.
Russia" continued Mr.. Washbu-n.
has passed, and passed successfully,
the low tide of it's fortunes in this war.
On the other hand, although do not
want to be put in the position Of say
ing that Germany is done by any
means, it is my belief that Germany
has passed the zenith of it's career in
the conflict. Nothing convinces me Of
the accuracy of this belief more than
the failure Of the German campaign
against the Russian army"
Mr.. Washburn was told that the i'm
preston generally prevailed in this
country that the German campaign
was a victorious one.
Broken But Not Beaten.
site" he answered. when Germany
began it's operations against the Rus
sian army. the later had plenty Of
men. but virtually no supplies. 1t is
true that the Germans tore through
Galicia; that at one time they tore a
hole 40 miles wide through the very
center of the Russian army but at no
time did they accomplish the object
of their campaign.
That object was the destruction Of
the Russian army, which, according to
the German viewpoint. would compel
Russia to seek a separate peace.
1t is my firm belief that the Russian
army is far more powerful on the de-
fensc than the offense. Although it
suffered terribly in it's retreat, the
army inflicted tremendous damage on
the Germans. Had the Russians been
as well prepared as the Germans the
latter never would have advanced half
SO far as they did.
"But to get back to the point. The
German army was told that the capture
Of Warsaw, then the capture Of Brest-
Litovsk, then Of Riga, of Ivangorod
and Of any number of places meant
peace. The German army got those
places. but it failed to get peace
consequently. there has been tell
ing effect on the German morale. Thus
far it has been only a seepage, but it
the situation today, Germany and Rus
sia are largely like two prize fighters
johnson and Willard, at Havana, If you
wish. Germany has all the science,
all of the generalship, all Of the weap-
ons, everything that Johnson had in
lHS1l lASul. Dul, hhS JOlISOu, Ger.
many has limit to its physical en-
durance.
Russia, on the other hand, has Just
begun to acquire the science, weapons
and the like. but at no time has Russia
been without endurance. Johnson, in
the prize fight reached the point where
he knew it was useless to land another
blow on Willard. The German army
has reached the point where it feels
that it is almost useless to advance
further into Russia, to deliver another
blow, because it realizes that the Rus
sian army will only come back for
more, that it can take and assimilate
more punishment than any other army
the world has ever seen.
TT is because of this feeling in the
German army, and because Of the fail
ure of the German plan to crush the
Russian army and force Russia to seek
q separate peace, that believe history
will look upon the invasion of Russia
as one of the greatest mistakes Of the
war.
although it may seem rash pre- :
diction, venture to say that, when the
German army finally crumbles, il 1t
does crumble, or when Germany is
finally willing to make peace-and
peace will not be made until Germany
Is willing to make 1t almost at the al
lies terms-Russia will be the power
to force Germany to her knees.