Omaha daily bee., 1916-07-30

nave Continually asked why was l
Great Britain, which had recruited
between 100000 and 100000 men
should be doing nothing on the west
ern front They complained tina
France was left alone at Nerdun anC
elsewhere, They did not realize tina
France knew it had at its disposal a
any moment the British troops which
were holding their own line of from
and steadily extending it, They die
not remember that at the beginning
of the war Great Britain was armet
on basis of mere handful OF men
that all the machinery and equipmen,
was upon basis of the handful, ant
that having men-l, 100000 or 2,000.
0O0-it still could not equip them be.
cause it had no factories or mum
tions except upon the scale Of the
handful.
Men had to be recruited, uni
formed, equipped; artillery had to be
developed and extended beyond all
expectations of the past. All had tc
be supplied. And the one reason why
there was such delay in making a
move on the western front by the
British was lack of equipment. The
push forward at Loos was not final
and effective because there was no,
sufficient munitions.
Army Is Now Effective.
But what is the condition of at.
fairs today? There are enough mum.
tions because big men have given
their brains and skill to the task OF
organization; because the manual
workers of England have trusted
themselves to complete sense OF
duty; because they have given up
trade organizations for period OF
war; because without murmuring they
have thrown up their holidays; be-
cause hundreds and thousands OF
women have joined the munitions
works or have entered into fields OF
occupation formerly monopolized by
men, such as the conduction Of cars
on tram lines, driving vans, working
upon farms, clerking in offices, doing
mems work in scores of small trades
because all England, in every corner
Of it, is alive to the terrible signifi-
cance Of the world fight and 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 it was
ready, though it was willing to help
at Verdun if needed and said so. and it
was not ready until it could dominate,
as it has done, the German artillery
over the whole of its line, with France
moving forward on the whole of its
line, they both could make good their
successes. mile by mile and steadily
and surely diminish the capacity Of
resistance upon the part of Germany
This they have done.
Allies Moving Everywhere.
What is the position today1 Every
one of the allies has moved forward
and at the same time and every one
has succeeded as it has moved. Italy,
like Russia. France and England else
where, has succeeded in its field
against Austria Germany cannot put
forward its men to help Austria, Aus
tria is harrassed by Italy and Russia.
Germany is harrassed and hammered
by England, Russia. France and Bel
GUM.
There is no rest for Germany any
where. 1t cannot shift its troops from
front to front, as it did in the early
days Of the war, smashing one enemy
here and then whisking its troops over
to smash another enemy.
"The allies no doubt have made
but no such mistakes as
Germany has made. England was ex-
pected to furnish 10000 men for the
protection of Belgium in case of an
European war-and that was all. 1t
has, in fact, provided an army and
navy personnel of nearly 100000
men and has trebled the personnel of
It's fleet. Could any other nation in
the world furnish over 100000 men
On voluntary basis. as Great Britain
has done?
Civil Forces Organized.
Americans should understand that
It is not alone in the field OF battle
that Great Britain has proved its ca
oacity for organization. 1t has proved
il in the civil field. 1t has national
zed the railways of the country and
mas protected the regular dividends;
t secured the sugar crop Of the world
1t the very beginning OF the war,
through which sugar is cheaper to-
lay in Great Britain than it is in the
United States and at the same time
las got out of it revenue of nearly
s34, 100000.
ut rescued the British people from
,eing done by meat trusts by seizing
III ships which could carry chilled
neat, and, having the ships, it could
get its meat on fair terms, and has
lone so-50,000 tons a month for
Great Britain and France and 10000
ons for Italy; it has also supplied
france with steel, boots, shoes and
informs. 1t has made coal trade
,ubfc military service and by act Of
Parliament has fixed the profit of the
:oal mines and it supplies the British.
french and Italian navies with coal.
"It has organized the purchase of
wheat by small committee which
4lso buys and ships wheat and oats,
odder, etc, for Italy. 1t has bought
lp the fish supply of Norway and
cry lately bought up against Ger
nan intrigue the great bulk Of food
xports Of Holland.
at has put on a S shilling income
ak which has been paid without pro-
est by the mass of British people. 1t
las drawn on its financial resources
Until it has loaned to its allies and its
'verseas domains E450,000,000 and it
las taken as high as 80 per cent Of the
var profits of the great manufacturing
irms.
"The organization is not ornate and
but there never was a