The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-07-30
ENGLAND AND ALLIES
"MUDDLING THROUGH"
TO FIN AL VICTOR Y
This Is Opinion of Sir Gilbert Parker, Who Out
lines Achievement For Two Years of War.
Tells Reason For England's Delay In Starting
Offensive and Praises Country's Martial and
Civil Organization For Great Conflict

a considerable number of British SUBJ
marines have crossed the Atlantic dur
ing the last year safely and surely. 1t
is not strange that the Deutschland
accomplished this feat 1t will be very
strange, however, II that feat is re-
peated by many sister submarines.
German foreign commerce cannot
be rehabilitated by the activities Of
submarines. Since the battle of Jut-
land 1t can be safely and surely said
that the seas are still controlled over
Whelmingly by the British fleet. The
German fleet came out and then fled
TO cover again after a stiff fight.
6ut let us now take the field OF
oattle on the western front For
"noie year or more critics in the Unit
Ted States whose only idea of war
rare was that of constant action have
continuously asked why was it Great
britain, which had recruited between
S'oVV,ooo and 100000 of men, should
pc DONG nothing on the western front
They complained that France was left
atone at Verdun and elsewhere. They
oid not realize that France knew she
nad at her disposal at any moment the
british troops which were holding
their own line of the front and stead
lily extending it. They did not re-
member that at the beginning of the
war Great Britain was armed on
oasis OF mere handful of men; that
all the machinery of equipment was
upon a basis of the handful, and tina {
having men-a million or two millions
-sne still could not equip because she
hao not factories or munitions except
upon the side of the handful.
CREATING AN ARMY
Men had to be recruited, fed. uni
formed, equipped; artillery had to be
developed and extended beyond all ex-
Per1ence of the past Rifles had to be
supplied. And the one reason WHY
there was such delay in making a
move on the western front by the Brit
Ism was lack of equipment. The push
forward at Loos was not final and ef-
Iective because there was not suffi
c1ent munitions.
But what is the condition of affairs
today? There are enough munitions
because Dig men have given their
brains and skill to the task Of oreani
cation; because the manual workers
OF England have reused themselves to
complete sense of duty; because thew
nave given up trades union regulations
Tor the period of the war; because.
without murmuring, they have thrown
up their holidays; because hundreds
and thousands of women have Joined
the munitions works or have entered
INTO fieids of occupation formerly
monopolized by men, such as the con-
duction of cars on tram lines, driving
vans, working upon farms, clerking in
oIIlces, doing mems work In scores
OF small trades: because all England,
IN every corner of it, is alive to tho
terrible significance of the world fight
ana has given its best blood, mind,
strength and craft to the nations
cause.
In spite Of criticism and complaint,
england would not and did not move
on the western front until she was
ready though she was willing to help
at Verdun, II needed, and said so. And
sne was not readily until she could
dominate, as she has done, the Ger
man artillery by greater weight OF
metal, until making a move forward
over the whole of her line. with France
moving forward on the whole of her
line, they both could make good their
successes, mile by mile, and steadil e
and surely diminish the capacity OF
resistance upon the part Of Germany
This they have DONE
POSITION TODAY
What is the position today? Every one
OF the allies has moved forward and
49, S-AO Se-AAio SAii0 duu every one mas Sue
ceeded, as she has moved. Italy, like
Russia. France and England elsewhere,
mas succeeded in her field against Aus
tria Germany cannot put forward her
men to help Austria. Austria is harassed
by Italy and by Russia. Germany is
harassed and hammered by England, Ru-
STA, France and Belgium.
There is no rest for Germany any,
where. She cannot shift her troops from
oa ch L.,
Gays OF the war, smashing one enemy
mere and then whisking her troops over
TO smash another enemy there
Mistakes? The allies no doubt have
made mistakes, but England has made
no such mistakes as have been made by
Germany, all of whose plans have gone
awry England was expected to. and
promised to, furnish 10000 men for the
protection of Belgium in case of an Ell
ropean war and that was all. She has,
IN fact, provided an army and navy per-
sonnet of nearly 100000 men and has
trebled the personnel Of her fleet Could
any other nation in the world furnish
over 40O0,0OO men on a voluntary basis
as Great Britain has done?
Americans should understand that 1t
is not alone in the field of battle that
Great Britain has proved her capacity
for organization. She has proved it in
the civil field; she has nationalized the
railways Of the country and has paid
the regular dividends. She secured the
sugar crop of the world at the very
beginning of the war through which SUI
gar is cheaper today in Great Britain
than it is in the United States and at the
same time has got out Of it revenue
Of nearly ss4,0Oo.ooO.
RESCUE FROM EXTORTION
"She rescued the British people from
being done by meat trusts by seizing all
ships which could carry chilled meat,
and having the ships, she could get her
meat on fair terms and has done So
$1,000 tons a month for Great Britain
and France and 10000 tons for Italy.
She has also supplied France with steel,
boots, shoes and uniforms. She has made
coal public military service and by act
of Parliament has fixed the profit Of
the coal mines and she supplies the Brit
ish French and italian navies with coal
"She has organized tho purchase Of
wheat by a small committee which also
buys and ships wheat and oats. fodder,
ETC.. for Italy. She has bought up the
fish supply Of Norway and very lately
bought up against German intrigue the
great bulk Of food exports OF Holland.
She has put on a 5-shilling income tax,
which has been paid without protest by
the mass Of the British people She has
drawn up her financial resources till she
has loaned her allies and her overseas
dominion f450000,000 and she has taken
as high as so per cent Of the war profits
OF the great manufacturing firms.
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