The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1917-12-06
GROWING DEMAND FOR DEClAR.
ALTON AGAINST AUSTRIA,
BULGARIA AND TURKEY,
U. s. POSITION ANOMALOUS
May Hamper the Plans for Unified Ef-
fort and Decrease Americas infIu-
ence In the Conference Of the Allied
Powers.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

Keeling is growing rapidly In Washing
ton circles where influence most counts
that congress may be asked, after {
proper manner Of asking. that war bt
declared against Austria, Bulgaria ant
turkey. Perhaps congress need no,
De asked. The president, some lega
authorities think, can order Germany
TO be struck through her allies.
1t Is fair to say that military author.
1ty In Washington seems to feel the
united States will not have rs much
influence rs 1T ought to have ut the
war conference with the allied powers
unless 1t shall declare hostilities
against the three countries named.
The thought seems to run along lines
Ike these: Edward NJ. House, Gen.
Tasker II. Bliss and the other Amcri-
cans will have only Il small part in the
formulation Of n complete plan Of mil
tary campaign unless the United
States shall put itself in IL position to
make the great campaign II telling one,
ana this some of the military experts
believe. VIII be possible only If this
country shall AXE n direct hand in the
nghting against the Austrian. the Bull
garian and the Turk.
AS the thing seems to be viewed by
military men Of reputation here, the
war can be brought to II comparative
~ quick conclusion only by adopting
doVe-tailcd plans and making n Goa
lcSScd effort. This Is believed to be
impossible unless the United States
soon shall change It's %benignnnt aspect
toward the AuStrinns, the Bulgnrinns
II the Turks. 1t Is pretty well known
In Washington thu the representatives
OF the allies have been unable to I'M
derstand why the United States is not
willing to punch Gcrmany's partners.
AS Much Enemies as Germany.
As the thought runs here, since Pres
ldcnt Wilson has declared that the
world must be made safe for de-
mocrncy 1t would seem to be his in
tention to ask congress for the means
of making democracy snfc in the world
and these means are declarations Of
war against he three powers which
In reality nrc fighting the United
States just us much as they arc fight
Ing for Germany, for they are fighting
the allies whom Uncle Sam is striving
to help, and the harder they fight these
allies, the greater must be the effort OF
the United States to overcome their
ofrcnsivcs.
1t Is virtually impossible to find out
definitely why there as yet has been
little or no disposition to force conclu-
sions with Austria, Turkey and Bull
gnrln. Diplomacy OF some kind or
other IS said to be ut the bottom OF the
thing. '
AS the case is presented by military
men who have made Il study Of 1t and
who realize that Il war to be fought
must be fought. there Is little or no
chance Of ending the conflict soon I'M
less all the democratic parties to 1t
fight together against the nutocratic
parties to It. Further. 1t is said that
no great strateglst would attempt to
draw n plan for The pushing OF the
war to II swift conclusion unless he
could make one of the solving fac
tors In the case the service OF the
United States against all the powers
now allied with Germany.
Should Fight on All Fronts.
The position Of the United States
today is held by many in Washington
to be such as to prevent the carrying
out Of III great plan Of campaign. It
Is said In places that the United
States can use It's mcn on the western
front against Germany. and thereby
force Il decision on that front. Mill
tnry men In the main do not think It
is certain that this can be done. At
my rate, they say 1t would take a
much longer time to do 1t his way
than 1t would If m all.cmbrncing plan
were adopted and the United States
were to help In nll quarters after n
formal declaration of hoStllities
against all its enemies, for 1t is held
that Austria, Bulgaria and Turkey,
equally with Germany. are enemies of
the United States.
Object Lessons. for Our Troops.
Now that the censor has allowed
the country to know almost "gco.
graphically exactly" where the Amer.
lean troops are located at the front
In France, 1t can he said properly that
IN going to their stations at the front
the American boys pass through VII.
lagos In France, or rather what once
were villages, which ruthlessly were
DESTROYED by the Germans in the nd.
vance TO he arne nnu In the retreat
therefrom under pressure OF the
French offensive.
Inc American troops I'm going to the
Dhse or operations for their present
scene OF action were gwen nm oh ,ect
lesson. Fully eighty villages, or whot
IS ieit or eighty villages. met their gaze
IN the course of their march. It ii
easy enough for these American bows