The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1916-04-20
NO SIGNS OF PEACE BEFORE 1917
Private Adyices to Financiers 1ndi-
cate the Contest of Endur-
ance Must Go On.

followed as by the leaders Of fl
nance on both sides of the Atlantic
They best understand that this is a
contest OF endurance in which re-
serves of men, money and food are
of equal Importance.
These reserves for many reasons
cannot be discussed in the popular
press for their news gathering
sources are not allowed to pass the
facts by the censorship either by
telegraph, mail or travel.
Finance, however, has lines of it's
own; and understanding the funda-
mentals in this war, needs only a
figure now and then to view the sit
uation in clear light.
A canvass of the situation by news
channels, which are not public, leads
clearly to the conclusion that there
is no peace in sight for 1916.
Germany has accomplished moth
ing since the battle of the Marine ex-
cept southeast and toward CONSTANT
nople, but here the reason has set In.
Russian and England are moving
slowly up toward Constantinople
from the south. More than 100000
allies and Serbians will soon be work
ing up from Salonika toward Bull
garia. Roumania stands firm, arm
ed and equipped, to strike the blow
upon the southern line of Austria as
soon as Russia and her allies are in
position to protect her southern boun-
dairy against Bulgaria.
The ROumanian position is exact
ly the same as it was a year ago. She
was then ready to come in with the
l,,% hot
able to first head Bulgaria. Events
have shown that the Roumanians un-
derstood the diplomatic situation bet
ter than England and that their dis
trust Of Bulgaria was merited.
The outlook is that 1916 will be
very bad for Austria on the southern
line of defense. Turkey may not hold
out this year, and, foreseeing the
blow that will be delivered from the
south against Austria Germany is
drilling with her reserves on the
western front in an effort to break
the great stronghold of the French at
Verdun. Here Is days of battle have
passed, and thus far, Germany has
paid for every foot of French soil
price in men which she can't afford.
Private advices report that all the
French wounded from Verdun are
being passed to the hospitals in the
south of France, that the central and
northern cities may be kept clear for
the great drive the allies plan against
Germany when the French and En-
glish reserves are at the maximum.
The English have no expectation
of being fully equipped much before
next winter, and the great drive Of
the allies may not take place till the
fall or next spring.
The plan is to let Germany be
weakened in all her reserves while
the reserves of the allies increase.
When Germany has weakened, the
drive will begin on all sides; and
there will be no opportunity to mass
her forces at any one point on her eX-
tended frontier.
The Finance Minister of Germany
has declared that after raising the
first $4,000 100000, Germany could
not repeat. She has now raised So
100000 and finances cannot go on
through 1917.
She is likewise exhausting her
reserves of men and unless she short
ems her line of defense, she cannot
hold out in men through next year.
Now the third vital factor, and
it has never before been presented
in this country, is that the outlook IN
Germany is for another poor crop.
Last year the crop was only two
thirds or a little more than half the
requirements.
The cord is slowly Tightening
around Germany every month, and If
the southern supplies are cut off and
the crops are poor this year Germany
will be on the borders of famine in
1917. But even a half crop might
feed Germany until in to 1917.
The most significant dispatches Of
the day, however, relate to the ex-
haustion of food in the neighboring
neutral countries. In the latter part
of 1916, the economic battle will be
over the exhaustion of Germany's
gold to buy outside her food supplies.
Steadily the allies are locking in all
the little countries and regulating
their supplies.
Another matter which has not
been publicly told in this country, is
the reason for the fatless days in
Germany. There is more complaint
over lack of fat than over the bread
and meat regulations.
Almost everywhere in Germany
one sees the sign 1T is forbidden"
and at the railway stations and all
points of public gatherings are the
placards, Soldiers, beware! Spies
everywhere Nevertheless the mill
tary authorities of the allies. know
full we'll the meaning Of the fatless
days in Germany-the government
has appropriated the fat that the
ordnance department may get it's
glycerine.
It is true that infant mortality is
now very high in Germany, but high
priced milk is not the cause.
Private advices also report that it
was Japanese gunners and Japanese
cannon that checked the German adj
vance into Russia. Today the Jap
anese, with their superb gunnery are
one of the great factors behind the
Russian lines.
1t will be news to most people
that the products of the New England
and the Atlantic coast states are now
passing into Russia by transportation
across the continent and in japanese