The Republican journal., 1917-07-12
WHEN WILL THE WAR END?

Never in this generation have the men
and women of America so eagerly and
thoughtfully read the news of the day as
they are doing at the present time. What
will be the outcome of the war and when
will it close are questions which are daily
uppermost in the minds of all. A long
distance study of the situation leads The
journal to believe that the end will come
by the yielding of Germany within Is
months. 1t is reasonably clear that Ger
many has reached state of nervous des-
peration. Her army knows now that
Hindenburg's retreat from the lines held
last winter was not strategic but forced.
They know that on the present line they
are on the defensive and that the balance
of losses in men, guns and munitions has
been heavily against them. They know
that nowhere on the globe is there a
country with which new alliances can be
formed by them from which they can
draw soldiers to their aid. The constant
arrival at the front of boys and old men
convinces them that the Teuton fighting
strength has been severely weakened
The Kaiser and Gen. Hindenburg as well
as a great many of the other German
leaders know all this, and they know too
that outside of their present Allies there
is not one nation where they can look for
even respect.
All this has depressed the army and
made the leaders nervous. In addition to
this the manufacturers and bankers have
for some time felt that defeat was pos
sibility. Knowing that if defeat came,
bankruptcy and ruinous loss of trade
would follow, necessity has made them
Join with the Kaiser in keeping the peo-
pie IN ignorance of what they feared
might happen. Germany went into the
war with blood on the brain. Military
insanity now possesses her. The shock
of great defeat on the Hindenburg line
may cause apoplexy and a sudden COL
lapse. But Germany intends to hold the
present battle line and advance if she
cam Failing in that she intends to re-
treat to prepared stronghold and fight
again.
But the above are not the fundamental
reasons why we believe the war will end
next year. Germany has no credit. She
cannot borrow money from other nations.
She cannot get food from neutral coun-
tries except by exchange as in Holland
Sweden and Norway, where she sends
coal IN return for food and munitions
winch these countries buy in the United
states or elsewhere. An embargo and
blockade are now shutting off these
sources of assistance. They must now
depend on themselves for supplies. Leav-
ing Russia out of the reckoning, we and
our Allies are backed by population of
2oo, ooO, 600; the Germans by IA, 900, 900.
They have 1900, 900 square miles from
which to draw food; we have 8 times
that area. We can raise times as much
food, manufacture and munition 10 times
as many guns and aircraft. The forces
In the field are now about equal in num-
Der, but reinforced by the United States
our Allies will soon greatly outnumber
the Germans. The English and French
already have outmatched the Germans in
the air. Before winter sets in we shall
add 100 per cent to their strength. We
shall drive our enemies from the air and
our airships will shower bombs on their
supply trains, into their trenches and in
to their stores of food and ammunitions
leaving destruction in their wake. Ger
many cannot long withstand the over
whelming forces which are gathering to
defeat her. Her only hope of success is