The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-11-04
EACH SIDE is
Determined TO
DICTATE PEACE
Belligerents Want Peace, but
Know It's Impossible.
Britain and Germany Underes-
innate Each Others Strength.
NO PEACE FOR FIVE YEARS
Lord NOrthcliffe Urges Prepara-
ton on That Basis.
Berlin's Glow of Victory Sue
cumbs to Grim Determination.
NO PEACE FOR FIVE YEARS
BY ROY w. HOWARD
president of the United Press.

(HreS1QenL OF Lno O0lIeQ RreSS.
New York, Nov. 4.-Nowhere, either
in England, France or Germany is
there the slightest evidence yet of an
approaching end of the war. In no
country is there any indication that
the struggle can be terminated within
the next two years. There are innum-
cradle indications that the end is
much farther off. Lord Northcliffe,
who more often probably than any
other man has correctly forecast the
wars developments, is now urging the
British to make no calculations based
upon peace within five years.
Altho pushing their offensive on the
Somme with great vigor, the British
land forces will not have attained full
fighting strength before next summer.
The idea current in Germany that
France is too nearly exhausted for
further dangerous offensive is unwar-
ranted optimism. The actual figures
of the Somme drive where the
French, (tho only called on to protect
the right wing of the British offensive
force) have actually taken more
ground and more prisoners than the
British, is indicative of what the
French have in reserve. So also the
new thrust at Verdun.
On the other hand, the idea current
sees either defeat or exhaustion as a
near menace is quite without justifica-
ton.
Wants Peace Badly, but
Germany wants peace-admittedl
wants it badly. The French and Brit
ish public has misunderstood and mis-
construed this. The fact is that Ger
many wants peace NOW, not because
she believes herself defeated but be-
-s<.A- %<.
any of the belligerents will again
come. Germans admit that they are
surfeited with war but insist that
France and Russia are equally so.
They say, judging from the Somme ad-
vance, in time and casualties, Eng
lands allies will be bankrupt before
the great push" can reach the Rhine.
Germans ridicule the idea that any Of
fensive can penetrate the Rhine de-
fenses.
The past 1S months have worked
great changes in the belligerent cap
itals Paris changed least during the
intervals brighter, gayer and a
shade nearer her normal, even tho the
war is still the all-engrossing idea.
Berlin hns become almost sombre-
A rather noisy and exaggerated con-
fide nee has given place to determi-
nation truly grim. The food situation,
if not working the havoc with Stom-
achs that the allies would like to be-
lieve, is having its effect on nerves.
The difficulty is not SO much scarcity
of food as soaring of prices and mo-
notony of diet. Everywhere the ques-
ton is asked, when is peace COM
ing?" but nowhere is there evidence
of wear or voiced dissatisfaction with
government or army.
German Honor Must Prevail.
When peace is talked of by the av-
erage German, it is a peace with full
honor to Germany. 1t is a peace cred
liable to the Germany that has con-
quered Belgium, Poland, Serbia and
the richest districts of northern
France; the Germany which is over
running Ruman mia and which even in
a war of attrition is still adding to its
captured territory. The peace openly
striven for by Germany is a far diff
ferent thing Involving as it does a
restoration of the status quo ante as
the limit of concessions) from the
only peace even mentioned in Paris or
London-a peace to be dictat ted to
Germany.
But it is London that has under
gone the greatest transformation. In
the fall of 1914 the Englishman was
talking glibly of business as usual"
last spring he was rather bored be-
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