The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-11-21
No SIGN Of FAITER|NG
CONTINUED from First Page.)

terrible though the scars OF this years
warfare have been. the body OF men
have Just seen are every whit as
formidab BILE and as full of fight as the
armies visited in 1914. when France
was sending the flower OF her youth
into battle.
AS might have been expected. the
present equipment Is in every way
superior to that OF last year and 1914.
while the artillery now employed Is
immeasurably more powerful on the
Somme alone than was used on every
part OF the western front earlier in
the war. Nevertheless. the French
munitions plants are still increasing
their output. and the number OF guns
and shells available next year Will
leave the present supply far behind.
Hitherto the principal weigh Of the
German attack has fallen On the
French army. and 1t has supported its
burden without losing its aggressive
army In the entente camp.
A Service OF Inoalculable Value.
All the allied countries realize more
and more as time goes on that France
did a service to their cause Of meal
culable value by withstanding the
Verdun onslaught, which lasted in Its
acutest form for Ave months. Now
that the initiative has definitely pass
ed into the hands of General Nivelle
and the danger to the citadel exists
no longer, the verdun forts have be-
come the one great Mecca of the war
for all allied and neutral pilgrims
In this tremendous trial of strength.
which has fortified rather than weak
ened Frances resolution, 5000 guns
poured out an unceastng cataract of
heavy shells for 200 days, and over
/ 900 troops. the pick of the man
hood OF France and Germany, fought
for their national destinies, all the
best regiments OF both nations suo-
cessively going into action.
Teutons Can't Keep Pace.
The inability of Germany and Aus
tria to keep pace with the allies out
put of guns and shells In the coming
winter Ia not doubted in any entente
country, and no prediction Is made
with moro confidence than that next
year Germany and her allies will be
vastly outgunned on every battle
field.
Whilst all the present factors OF the
situation point to an armistice in
| twelve months, the people of every
! conf blatant country are entirely at sea
! as to the character of the peace that
! will eventually ensne.
Al the same LlHle. SVtIy
dlscourages free discussion as to the
nature OF the coming peace. Never
| theless there are certain basic ideas
| upon which no difference OF opinion
| exists In entente countries France
| must obtain the retrocession OF the
Alsaoe- Lorraine. Belgium must be re-
stored to her complete political and
economic Independence and indemni-
! fed for her losses and suffertngs. Italy
must have her Irredentist provinces OF
Trieste and Trentino. Serbia must be
| restored and enlarged at Austria's ex-
pense. But a. to the Russian claims.
the future OF the captured German
colonies and the punishment to be in
| flicted upon Turkey and Bulgaria for
| their Intervention, tho public has re-
| ceived no enlightenment. although 1t
is fully understood that Russia will
retain possession Of Armenia.
Germany Is expected to work fever
! ishly throughout the winter to pre-
pare the ground for an early peace
and to provoke neutral Intervention.
| The names Of President Wilson and
the Pope have been mentioned many
| times in this connection. but the first
| real step for peace II not expected
| to be made by either Of them. Two
| neutral rulers who, while strictly
maintaining their neutrality, have
fully ensured their prestige in France.
| England and Italy, are King Al
| phonso. OF Spain, and King Haakon.
| OF Norway.