Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-06-12
Three More Years of War

Washington now expects tnree-yeaI war
three years at least. That is the Judgment OF our
closest observers and the outlook from every point
of the Allied compass. 1t behooves the American
people to get this grim prospect well into their
minds and TO prepare accordingly. not in spirit OF
pessimism but with a valiant facing of facts and
with iron resoluteness.
The expectation of at least three more years OF
lighting does not rest on any single condition out
on a chain of conditions and the general cast OF
the problem confronting and our allies The
Russian collapse. the crucial strain upon heroic
France who has borne the brunt OF German MILL
tarism ever since the summer Of 1914, the suoma-
rine inroads upon England's merchant feet and the
CONSEQUENT shipping problems, the determination
of the Kaiser and the Junkers to fight to the bit
terest extremity to preserve their despotism, and
the absolute necessity of overthrowing that de-
potism no matter how long 1t takes-these are
some of the prime factors making for three
year
We may as we'll count Russia out of the field,
as far as offensive power is concerned. Nothing
short of a miracle could restore her broken
strength and bring her distraught spirit back to
the great tasks of the We need not despair
of Russia's future. We have reason to hope that
in time she will become a stable. effective democ-
America and France and England and the other
free nations in the maintenance of world justice
and peace. But first she must work out her inner
probIems in dark tribulation and, perhaps,
through civil war For the present she is a la
bflity to the Allied cause.
II should be said by way of qualification,
however. that Russia will be OF considerable
service IL she keeps her armies sufficiently intact
10 engage the enemy's attention, even though she
Is unable to strike out aggressively. Colonel Rep
ington. Of the London Times. recently calculated
that one hundred and twelve German and Austrian
divisions are held against Russia, and that II to
thsss ara added the Bulgarians and the Turks In
Asia Minor there will be hardly fewer than one
bunarsd and twenty-five enemy divisions held to
the eastern fronts by the fact OF Russas being In
the war That amounts to something ike eighty
per cent OF the man-power which Germany mas
uassed against the French and British Large
numbers OF the Kaiser's eastern troops doubtless
have been diverted to the western front since the
uuheaval in Russia, and many more probably VIII
he atvsrted This adds greatly to the Allied task
as smashing a way through the German lines, par
t,cuIariy those lines of ultimate defense to which
ne enemy will retire But there is vast differ
enoe between the Teutons being able to withdraw
q mart Of their forces from the eastern arena, as
they now do, and being able to withdraw them
an for a unfred onslaught on the western front,
a. they could do II Russia made a separate peace.
with the exception OF Russia the Allies are mil
ttsut and effective but the United States is the
only one Of them that bring any great increase
az power into the conflict France, as the Wash
,nr+on review of the situation points out. has
passed the high point OF her efficiency and can be
counted on TO do nothing more than hold her own, "
while ENGLAND though still on the upgrade as far
q. military matters GO has almost reached her
h4xh point" The British navy, to be sure is
SIN mistaken m its sea-grip, and aside from SUB
marines the Germany navy is practically out OF
commission. This is big fact and, together
with me wonderful endurance OF the French and
steady hammering OF the English, 1t means that
the German land forces can be held back almost
indefinitely
But the security Of America. as of all the Al
lies and all the world, demands that German NIL
itartsm not simply be held in check for an neon
cIusive mace but that Il be defeated beyond any
chance Of rising again to meance democracy and
darken the hopes OF civilization. We dare not let
this war end indecisivey, for an ndecisive enoins
would be in effect a Hohenzollern victory and
would mean that soon late we should have 70
cone unaided with the most powerful ana mos'
brutal military despotism history has known
According to all present indications. Hohenzollern
Germany cannot be brought to surrender SNORT VI
three more years OF fighting
We shall run risk If we overestimate Ger
uanv's resources and her prospect LOT ehuur
anee. but we shall a grave risk II we unoer
estimate them It is doubtless true that she
dangerously short of food and other necessarieS'
but interestingly enough, as an American CORES
Dondent points out. while the whole world Is
discussing the possibility of Englands oeiis
starved into subsection by the U-hoat campaign
the hone that Germany may be beaten by the
blockade and her growing isolation is seloon
hoard This can he explained largely by the
ether sDactacuIar nature of the submarine cam
nafgu as compared with the silent though relent
less and powerful pressure Of the British fleet
Still, it Is apparent that Germany's dearth o.