Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-12-04
Tuesday, December 4, 1917.
The Job On Our Hands


the street is: Were in it for long
time" The American public is re-
signed TO that, aparently,a long time
- sacrifice and restrictions and hard
sr.r IT, war But nowhere does one
rear a suggestion of compromise with
'he war masters for the purpose of
Iostponing the sacrifice. We can do
tho Job today more chcaply than at
any date in the future is an American
conviction. we believe. The practical
side Of America has come to the sur
face H. the last six months. We've
Got to do II and the sooner done the
etter." is the conclusion.
RI, faint-heartcd are more pessimis-
to than events warrant. although
pessimistically grim America is the
most dangerous thing in the world to-
cay for f'russianism and the whole box
and dice of autocracy Austria saw
that with heart sinking that almost
funked Ter But for the Russian fiasco
and Gormanys desperate measures to
revive the courage of her ally the col
lapse would have come ere this. The
drive into Italy saved Austria to
Prussianism for yet a little while"
We have reason to be pessimistic as
= result Of the Costiest neglect Of the
war the leaving of Italy to the sure
punishment of her temerity.
But has not the German war ma
chine gotten its tail in a crack? Can
any war expert guara ntee the Austro-
German forces safe conduct pack
across the Alps or Of supplies the other
way. in the months to follow?
ltalys forces have held nobly until
the seasoned troops Of Britain and
France arrived. but few thousand Of
Americas unframed troops would put
as much heart into Italy as the Ger
man help has put into Austria-and
more, for the drive has failed. Where,
then. lies the duty of the American
Congress?
Russia is irresponsible; she may give
further assistance to the allies and
she may not. but she cannot be safely
counted on by either side. The biggest
problem in all Russia is "Russia"-can
she he saved from herself?
\ Polish deputy in the Reichstas de-
clared that conditions under German
rule In Lithuania are worse than under
Russian. Germany has 1s7,0ooooo peo-
pie urder control today but autocracy
cannot handle them without the con-
tagion that slew the Romanoffs affect
ing the masses under the Hapsbur',s
ard Hohenzollerns. In all these un-
happy countries now under the Kali
scr's thumb there is knowledge of life
It's riches and power. From every one
~ them are relatives who have told Of
freedom and higher standards of life
cNer here. They have seen, as have
Tho German people Of Austria Hun
gary the tide that swept autocraCy and
class anc political brutalism off their
feet IN Russia. They have been told
why America is in the war and that
she is the deliverer coming to the aid
~ the down-trodden masses who nave
.arried IN" classes down through the
ages.
In other words, out Of the depths Of
our pcSsimism springs new light Of
peace Pho world has seen Germany
eNertin2 herself to the utmost to save
The collapse OF Austria. hurled back on
the west front and halted in little Italy.
The wcild tcven the poor benighted
portions under Frusslan domination
knew that desperate UNDERTAKINGS were
TO precede now Offers Of peace terms.
Even the slowest follower of events
Icing agn recognized Germany's haste
10 reach the stage of actual peace pour
parlers before the strength of America
had begun 10 he felt while Prussia is
still in control of vast territory not her
own
Turkey a worthy ally Of the war
developed Germany. Is losing ground,
constantly. She, too has seen with
shaking knees the rise Of the Ameri-
can giant.
Lord Lansdownes letter that has
raised such a tempest in England car
ries only a suggestion of British as
surance Of the American President s
war proclamation. The fear that Ger
many will mistake it for weakness is
well grounded but slowly central Eu-
rope 4. awakening to the fact that this
wer cannot end until the great moral
issues arc settled and settled in such
manner that rulers with the minds and
hearts of monsters cannot, in future,
send millions to torture and death for
their own selfish ends.
And we wish to carry one little ray
of hope TO those whose hearts are tor
tured by the everywhere heard phrase
Of we're in it for along time" that IL
ever the tendency has been decisively
toward peace since the war began it is
at the present hour. For, before this,