Evening star., 1917-12-30

No man who has lived through the
last year could fail to realize that
thre had been a marked change in the
feeling of all the peoples at war. The
desire for peace has grown since this
time last year. when the allied nations
were fatty declining those German
peace proposals which were designed
to give Germany victorious peace
while she was yet In position TO
realize ON her profits.
The year that is closing has seen the
postponement. IL not the final banish-
ment, Of many hopes. of German hopes
quite as much as allied hopes. A year
ago the allied nations, still unaware
that the old regime in Russia had be-
trayed them and that the revolution
was soon to remove Russia from the
battle line. could look forward to 1877
as victory year. The Germans. know
ing the Russian situation. could ex-
pect that the coming Russian collapse
would leave the western allies no
choice but to make a disadvantageous
peace.
The Russian collapse came. and with
It the allied hopes Of decision IN nsad ~
Russia was clear to the world, before
Germany could capitalize the moral
and military consequences OF the pass
ing Of the Slav state. the United States
entered the war on the allied side.
bringing a moral influence which quite
dissipated the effects Of Russian de-
sertion and was bound. in due course
Of time to provide a military contri-
button which would replace the Rus-
sian share in allied war fare
Both Sides Disappointed.
And so the allies, who. still trusting
Russia. had hoped to win. and the Ger
mans, who had expected to triumph,
knowing Russia, were equally disap-
pointed. Both sides were compelled to
recognize that no decision could be had,
and both sides are bound to realize
now. as the new year opens, that the
chance Of victory in 1913 is small. be-
cause America cannot make any de-
cisiye contribution to the campaign OF
the coming year, and her contribution
is essential to an allied victory. The
Germans, on their side. are bound to
recognize, presently, that they have not
left the resources necessary to obtain
that decision in the west which escaped
them at the Marne and at Verdun. They
knowing that the United States is COM
ing up Will hold on with new energy
and fresh determination.
One other balance there Is to be
struck. The German had hoped to find In
the submarine a weapon to force the
allies to make a negotiated peace In
1917; the weapon failed and despite Its
past ravages and present peril Is no
longer regarded in or out of Germany
as likely to win the war. By contrast
nize the extent Of Russian collapse,
sought In Flanders to push home an at
tack which would compel the Germans
to shorten their lines and evacuate
could withdraw troops from the eastern
front in sufficient numbers to stay the
British attack. BY an inconsiderable
margin. but by q safe margin. the Ger
mans got their troops back, the British
thrust failed, the chance of clearing
northern France has gone. perhaps un-
til the day when million American
troops restore the advantage of num-
bers to the foes of Germany.
And this. after all, 10 the statement of
both sides have failed. In France the
British and French have won victories
and the Germans have lost battles and
territory. In the east, Bagdad and Je-
rusalem. Mesopotamfa and Palestine
have fallen to British arms. and Ger
man East Africa, the last of Germany 8
colonial possessions, has passed to the
control of Britain. AS against this Ger
many has won great success in Italy,
and the very safety of Italy has been
vi.
allied hope that Italy would be able to
complete the exhaustion of Austria has
not been realized. and Austria is not
likely now to be a victim of Italian
military power. Here Is another and
very considerable allied hope gone glinl-
mering.
Effect Upon Contestants.
But. laying aside these balancing
claims of profit and loss, we are bound
at this time to examine the very much
larger question of the effect of the
events of the past year upon the major
ambitions and aspirations of the two
contestants. Such an examination of
facts, too. must lead inevitably to the
realization that the events OF 1917 have
sensibly. materially and perhaps per-
manently changed the situation of both
In its present light. seems unlikely to
end in quite the fashion either Rroup
OF belligerents hoped and expected one
year ago, much less as they hoped
forty months ago. when the conflict
was opening.
Looking backward for the moment.
let US recall the ambitions and aspira-
tions of the first year. Germany, after
long preparation. after forty years of
planning and organizing. burst upon
the world in August, 1914, with a ma
tured program of conquest She was
to conquer and crush France, then dis
pose of Russia and thereafter, master
of the continent as Napoleon had been
organize 1T for a final struggle wifi
her real enemy. Great Britain. Bef-
gium and northern France were to BE
hers. France wss to be reduced to the
position with reference to Germany
Prussia had held toward the great Ma
poleon after Jena. World power was
the driving ambition Of the German.
who saw first Europe, then Asia and
Africa at his feet. the British empire
shaked by internal revolt, and Egypt
and India n1enaced by Turkish armies,
Gorman-led-
The French victory at the Marne and
the French stand before verdun put q
Anal term to the major hope of Ger
many Thanks to the French valor and
military genius. France was not de-
stroyed while Britain remained un-
ready And now. after nearly three
years and half of war. the situation
as between Germany and her British
foe remains unmistakably favorable
to the Briton. He holds all OF Ger
many's colonies, save for small por-
tions occupied by his allies. He has
banished the German dag from the
sea, he has brought about the ruin Of
the whole commercial edince Of Cor
many within his own empire. And the