Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1917-08-03
DEPRECATF TALK OF
PEACE STEP NOW
Washington Officials See No Mark
OF Sincerity on Teuton Feelers
AWAITING PRACTICAL MOVE
America Must Help Quickly And in
Force Embargo Ordered on
Ship Steel

=
and the Entente Powers would con-
slider a sincere and practical peace
offer from any one of the four Cen
tral Powers, this Government would
not be mislead into giving considera-
ton to the sincere proposals and
deprecates peace talk not based on
practical lines.
The United States is thinking of
making no move in the direction of
peace. The higher officials of the
Government believe that any step in
this direction would be misunder-
stood in Germany and would do more
harm than good.
AS a matter of fact in none of the
pronouncements of German or Aus
trian statesmen have American off,
cials found anything that warrants
them in regarding the feelers that
have been put out by pBerIin and vi
emma as being practical, sincere or
genuine
The United States Government is
going ahead steadily with its plans
for winning the war and officials in
Washington, from the President down
are concerning themselves chiefly
with the defeat of Germany
Meanwhile official Washington is
opposed to the official discussion of
eace. One reason is the fact that
Germany has charged that the United
States is grabbing CONNER
cial nation helpless to conduct sue
cesful war, and for the United States
at this time to start a discussion of
peace before it had time to demon
strate it a nation willing to fight for
democratic ideals, would be misinter-
preted in Germany as confession of
weakness and lack of will to carry
through the war.
Hopeless of Much Russian Aid.
Looking from the broadest aspect
at the events of the last fortnight in
Russia said Major Gen. Frederick
b. Maurice, Chief Director of Mill
tary Operations at the War Office, Lon
don, 1T will necessarily mean pro-
longation of the war.
I'VE cannot longer count on any
great material assistance from Rus
sia This means a greater burden on
the other Entente Allies, and for that
United States it means that she must
come into the field as soon as pos
sible and with the greatest possible
force.
1.-The events of the last two weeks
on the Russian front have been a
great disappointment to u.s. contin-
ued General Maurice. The Germans
had made no preparations for SER
ious offensive When the Russians
attacked the Germans used only
the ordinary strategy of counter at
tacks with such troops as were i'm
mediately available Certain bodies
of Russians collapsed and disaffec-
ton spread through great section of
the Russian front with the result that
the Russians had to abandon nearly
all the ground won by General Brus-
loff last autumn"
But if they can hold the lines
where they now stand there is no
reason to believe that the remainder
of the Russian front will be mater
ialy affected If the collapse spreads
much further we shall begin to see
what military men call strategic re-
suits, necessitating Withdrawals over
large areas The Russian collapse
unouestionably means the lengthen-
ing of the war
'If the Russians had been able to
bring pressure to bear properly in
conjunction with our offensive on the
west front, it is possible that the end
of the war would soon have been In
sight The most we can now hope is
that they will be able to get together.
reorganize. and hold their own. We
cannot edpend on Russia for any ef-
fectiye offensive assistance in big war
plans for some time This throws a
new burden of responibiity on the
other allies and on t United States.
Embargo on all Ship Steel.
Under ruling made by President
Wilson a complete embargo on such
iron and steel as are required for
shin construction will go into effect
on Aug. Is. After that date not a
pound of iron or steel listed under
certain specified classifications viii
be permitted to leave an American
port
Until Aug. 10, according to the rui-
ing, applications will be considered
by the Government authorities Tor
the export Of iron and steel and may
be granted If it is proved that the
materials are destined for actual
war purposes or will directly contri-
butte thereto"
A complete embargo on iron and
steel products necessary for ship
construction will mean that foreign
nations will be deprived of the oppor-
tunity to obtain large supplies in the
American market by offering prices
far in excess OF those which the Gov
eminent believes are equitable and
just
II viii also have the effect OF cut
Taw~ n n