The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-09-12
Americas Part in the War.

"Poh the submarine and the
Russian revolutions; there has been ,
new hope that Germany might win
the war. after ALL But these. boros
nave gone glmmering with the return
OIL the Russians to the attack, the un-
satisfactory harvest of the submarine
"hlch dlscloses the fact that it can
"ot win the war this year or next at
Tie present rate, and finally the en-
trance of the United States into tho
war and the arrival of American troops
in France.
Inc echo of all this we hear in the
present crisis in Berlin. It is no mart
VI 'he task of the military reviewer to
o'scuss political events. We have not
yet any satisfactory evidence as to the
true meaning Of the passing Of Roth
mann-Hollweg and the nend;np
changes in the German government or
system, but it is plain that these
changes are the fruit of mi,itary die
appointments and are manifestly con-
sequences of growing recognition in
Germany of the fact that the war
cannot be won and NAV he lost
we shall have a real measure of tbe
German spirit when there emerges
from the fog some definite statement
or German peace proposals. Unless
these proposals accept unequivocally
the Russian view of no annexations
and no indemnities, It is safe IN cor-
ciude that they will be thrust aside bv
the nations now fighting GERMANY
Even If they do make such proposaIs
the Allies will infallibly demand a
German agreement to a settlement of
the Alsace-Lorraine question in favor
OF france, of the Italian Irredenta in
tavor of Italy and the reconstruction
or the Balkans in favor of Serbia, in.
! suring that state a seaboard on tho
Adriatic and an increase of Serb lands
at the expense of Austria.
That an evidence on the part OF
Germany-and her Allies, of willing
/ ness to open these questions might
lead to an agreement to settle colonial
questions about the green table and
, to negotiate on the question of Ger
man interests in Central Africa, seems
TO me quite likely. But this is mere
speculation. Germany must first re-
nounce conquest. second consent tc
sacrifices; until these things happen
there can be no peace conference this
year, or before a campaign of 1918.
Yet recognizing all this it seems to
me plain that we are entering the
last year of the war. For my owr
part l am convinced that il the wal
lasts until the fourth anniversary, We
shall then be within two steps of peace
and my conviction is that peace will
come before that anniversary. The
temper in Austria, the change wrought
in the Near East by Russian re-
nunication Of anneXations in Turkey
the growing clearness Of perception in
Germany that victory is impossible
and that disaster lies in future pro-
longation Of the struggle are for me
clear indications that we are on the
edge of a change in the whole situa
ton. n change which will make mill
tary events from now on of less i'm
pUrtance than nOliticaI
In all this it seems to me the United
States has a very clear mission. W.
must first Of all continue to send mer
and supplies and munitions to Europe
because I believe that the arrival OF
American troops in France has al
ready been an Enthusiastically powerful
influence in bringing a change in Ger.
many. The more troops we send tt
France the less chance there will be
that we shall have heavy losses and
long casualty lists. The fact that we
mean to go on will. l believe, be a
great force for peace, the first sign
that we were slowing down might act
as did the Russian revolution to arouse
a German hope that the war might
be won.
few weeks ago, when Russian SOL
diers were quitting the front and
there was still no suggestion of an
American army in France, Germany
believed she could win the war and
adopted a policy Of extreme rigOr. Her
statesmen and publcists proclaimed
victory in sight and asserted that this
victory would mean the real world
domination of Germany But the Rus
sian soldiers returned to the battle and
an American army arrived i'm Europe
with results that are plain. There has
been "a profound change in German