The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1916-02-18
ENGLAND WOULD FIGHT ON
IF ALL HER ALLIES QUIT
BY ED l.. KEEN,
United Press Staff Correspondent

NEW YORK. Feb. 1S.-"How long
do you think the war will last.
After the usual polite and more
or less perfunctory inquiries as to
the state OF his health and what
sort of trip he had, Judging from
the writer's personal experience and
observations in the last few hours.
this is the first serious question fired
at every American returning from
Europe by everyone he meets.
Anticipating some such inquisi-
ton, and in order to guide him in
forming an opinion, the writer had
asked the same question OF lot OF
folks in England just before sailing
on the Baltic for New York 1t re-
ceived almost as great variety OF
replies as the number of Britishers
interrogated-tha is, as to tome.
They ranged all the way from six
weeks to six years.
But in their real essence all were
alike. Until Grmany gives up,'
was the unanimous verdict.
They're telling a good story now
il, London about the way Premiar
Asquith is said to have answered
this question at recent social gath
erin British cabinet members have
become so used to parrying uncom
Portable or puzzling queries on the
floor of the house of commons since
the war began they often, uncon-
sciously carry their parliamentary
armament into the drawing-room.
How long do you think the war
will last, Mr.. Asqiuth?" inquired a
fellow guest.
II would have much, preferred
that the honorable gentleman has
given me previous notice of this
question" replied the prime minister
in his most unctious on-the-earpet
tone, but since he insists upon an
immediate and explicit reply. | will
say that the answer is in the neg
atiye"
Although the head of the British
administration can't be persuaded to
hazard time guess on the duration
OF the war, both his public and his
recent weeks leave no doubt that he
stands with every other Britisher
whose opinion is at all worth con-
sidering, in the manifestly sincere
and honest belief that the war Will
so on until Germany agrees to
peace on the terms of the allies.
Make no mistake about il, the al
lies are out TO win. They were
never so determined or so united as
they are today That. the recent
"made in Germany" stories of like
lihood Of an early separate peace
with Russia, or France, or England,
are absolutely without foundation l
am firmly convinced. Even in the
remote event OF the remote posi-
bility that one or more of the allies
might be persuaded to enter into
separate peace negotiations with the
Central powers England would go
right on fighting
1t would be most difficult for any
one who has lived in the British at
mosphere since before the war start
ed and has watched the gradual al
iteration of the Ene''sh national spir-
il from airy cocksureness through
successive stages OF bewilderment,
humiliation, and lesson learning. in
TO one OF relentless bulldog tensc-
ity of purpose, to arrive az any 9th
er conclusion.
Despite all the muddhng Of the
past eighteen months-the military
miscaleulations, the diplomatic
hlunters. the political upheavals. the
( industrial turmoils-the ayeras
Britisher has not only never de-
SPARED. he has never had any real
doubt as 10 the outcome OF the strug-
gle The more recent misfortupes
the loss of Bulgaria. the ohhtera-
tion o. Serbia aad Montenegro, the
failure I'm Calllpol. ana The tTou-
Il hfes in Mes gDnrarlis No rs regard