Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1916-11-05

months In South America and Europe.
Roy W. Howard. president Of the
United Press. returned today. While
abroad, Howard met and obtained
from leaders in England. France and
Germany their personal views on the
war and the chances Of peace. Though
most OF the statements made to him
were made under the pledge that
there should be no direct quotation.
they furnished basis for the eoncln-
sions reached in the following article,
Howard Is one Of the very few neu-
trails permitted to visit all the bellig-
erents during the. past year.
BY Roy w. Howard
New York. Nov. 4.-Nowhere,
either in England. France or Ger
many, is there the slightest evidence
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
innumerable indications that the end
Is much farther on.
Lord Northcliife. who more often
probably than any other man, has
correctly forecasted the wars deyel-
opments. is now urging the British to
make no calculations based upon
peace within five years.
Although pushing their offensive
on the Somme with great vigor, the
British land forces will not have at
tanned full fighting strength before
next summer. The idea current in
Germany that France Is too nearly
exhausted for further dangerous Of
fensives, is unwarranted optimism.
The actual figures of the Somme
drive. where the French. Though
called on to protect the right wing
OF the British offensive force) have
actually taken more ground and more
prisoners than the British, is indica-
tive Of what the French have in re-
serve. So also the new thrust at
Verdun.
On the other hand, the idea cur
rent in the allied countries that Ger
many sees either defeat or exhaustion
as near-menace. is quite without
justification.
Germany wants peace-admittedly
wants II 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 in danger, but
because she thinks she Is nearer a
military victory than she or any OF
the belligerents will again come.
Germans admit that they are sur
feited with war but insist that France
and Russia are equally so. They say
that at the present rate OF the Somme
offensive, in time and casualties,
England's allies will be bankrupt be-
fore "the great push" can reach the
Rhine.
Germans ridicule the idea that any
offensive can penetrate the Rhine de-
fenses.
The past IS 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 though
the war still is the all-engrossing
idea.
Berlin has become almost sombre.
A rather noisy and exaggerated con-
fidence has given place to determin-
alton. truly grim. The food situa-
ton, If not working the havoc with
stomachs that the allies would like
to believe, is having its effect on
nerves.
The difficulty Is not so much scar
city OF food, as soaring OF prices and
monotony OF diet Everywhere the
question is asked, When is peace
coming?"--but nowhere Is there evil
dence of fear or voiced dissatisfaction
with government or army.
When peace Is talked of by the av-
erage German, II Is a peace with full
honor to Germany. II is peace
creditable to the Germany that has
conquered Belgium, Russian Poland
Serbia and the richest districts oil
France; the Germany which Is over
running Roumania and which even In
a war OF attributlon Is still adding
to its captured territory.
The peace openly striven for by
Germany is a far different thing, Tin
volving as It does a restoration OF the
status quo ante as the limit Of con
cessions) from the only peace evel
mentioned in Paris or London--s
peace to be dictated to Germany.
But It Is London that has under
gone the greatest transformation. II
the fall Of 1914, the Engllshman wal
talking glibly of business as usual;
last spring he was rather bored be