Arizona republican., 1917-05-17
At War

It is only within the last few days that the people
of this country have seemed to realize that we
at with the most completely organized country in
the world and country which has learned the lesson
of efficiency to the limit. We have recruiting
going rather stlessly and general apathy the
part of people has existed, which seemed in
dictate that they thought by issuing a few billions of
bonds and building few ships, the Central Powers
were going to be ready to quit
Recently the people seem to be awakening to the
fact that have got a tremendous task our hands,
and that despite immense resources unless we
mobilize these resources and make them efficient.
and back the government the very limit the
outcome of the will be very uncertain
We have INDUCED in high sounding talk of our
strength and especially of strength which
of the righteousness of our cause and it is indeed a
righteous cause, and based the very funda-
mentals of democracy, but every man of common
sense knows that righteousness alone yet won
a and will win one
The twin Gods of battle energy and preparation.
We may be fighting for humanity and democracy
but will be champions unless we are equipped
TO make good by deeds high purposes alone will
not make effective fighters. We have known many
righteous, God-fearing who failed as merchants
farmers and in professional life, of the highest
ideals, but who failed, while their goddess neghbors
ly.
We have allowed ourselves to be bolstered up by
exaggeratons of the successes of our allies and the
disasters of our enemies Some of newspapers
many of statesmen have msled us by telling us
the things wanted hear and saving us from
the unpaatabe truth We have been 10th to look
the situation squarely in the face; have closed
eyes against the perils and the blameworhy
because we have had before the recent example of
the terrible punishment of Great Britain
the early stages of this war she lodged the facts
The people of Great Britain as the people here
regarded the war something and unreal
but are now awakening the fact that the famous
wooden Walls" of Great Britain, the greatest navy
in the world is being held in check by the ever in
creasng horde of submarines and the people of the
British Isles day brought nearer to starva-
ton
These are facts not fancies and the quicker the
American people as facts the better for
this nation. When anayze the news of the great
offensive of the past two months which has been
carried on with wonderful courage and determine
ton by our French and British allies with the advan-
tage of unlimited men, ammunition and greater ar
uhery than the Germans we find that only few
miles comparatively worthless territory have
been gained paid for with tens of thousands of valu
able lives, and that the German line has not been
seriously shaken
russld To-Day is practically out of this a
valuable ally, and whether that country enters
lnto~a separate peace with the Central Powers she
has ceased to be effective factor in this war Her
armies on the eastern front are idle and daily be-
coming more disorganized and neither Mesopotama
in the Balkans any signal successes occurred
on the part of the Allies.
1t appears that the strength of italy is being
slowly Slapped and many observers feel the possibility
of a separate peace between Italy and the Central
Powers
1t is admitted that France, brave and skillfu as
her sons are is almost the end of her resources
We hear little of reinforcements from the Brit
1sh colonies. The burden is being slowly shifted bv
circumstances, upon and are not ready to take
1t up and we are not getting ready.
There will come rude and violent awakening In
few months the youth of America will be hurried
across the sea and those who escape the submarines
will take their places in the trenches of Flanders Of
the Balkans and in Mesopotamia. American papers
VIII then begin to long lists of casualties as the
LONDON papers now do and then we will know that
we are at war and that it is not remote war
fortunately, there is one dominant note of hope in
~ war SITUATION; that is the fact that the American
people are being welded together nation with
ullied national spirit and are awakening the fact
t every resources of the nation, both men, money
and industry must be modified for national service
that <AHerlcd may strike hard
1t is only by such vigorous prompt action that we
can do our share in cutting down the loss of Ameri
can lives which is bound to occur at the front
The issue is clear: America is on trial TODAY Can
she prove that efficiency goes hand in hand with de-
mocracy? If we can this by the patriotic I'M
selfish action of all citizens then there is hope that
this war may not be a long, drawn out struggle
otherwise tell its end
The Grow of Baked Beast