Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-02-06

Enl fANHAA tAt1 ANtttttt s1N's t'-
TO make q serious effort to meet the
countrys financial liabilities toward
It's own people, and il is therefore not
difficult to undersigned why the big
business interests OF Hamburg.
Frankfort and Berlin have for long
been clamoring for peace.
If. as expected. Germany wipes on
her liabilities and begins again with
a clean sheet, she will obviously be
IN a position OF economic superiority
to the Entente countries, while the
latter are struggling to devise ways
and means of meeting their indebted
ness
Social problems viii be no less
grave. Of all the Entente countries,
France will have suffered most heav-
ily in men in relation to her popula-
ton by the time the war Is over. by
the end OF this year her dead or per
manently incapacitated may reacn
5000 000. and England, Italy and Rus
STA will suffer after the same rate,
Al the same time. Germany's losses
will he found to be superior both rel
atiyely and absolutely, to those Oh
any other country in The war.
This means that in every town and
viIage labor will be scarce. Emigra'
ton will he brought to a standstll
far al least this generation, and per
hau3 for the next. The United States
will thus be directly affected, while It
is certain that the development OF
Canada will be set back for half a
century.
Proof that q great scarcity OF labor
il feared in Europe. and especially
France. is given by the measures al
ready prudently taken by the French
government for the Introduction OF
co1lie labor. This movement began
some months ago and will be inten-
sified this year. Already thousands OF
Asiatics arc employed for national
PURPOSES, and even when millions OF
/ Flent hmen are released from the col
ors it Is anticipated that the employ
ment Of culorel men will have to be
continued to make a big trade re-
slyal possible.
Therefore, in the opinion Of Euro
pean statesmen, America will be
greatly disappointed If she expects
\ the releasing Of millions of men al
present in the field to cause a stream
of migration westward across the At
lantc owing to bad conditions il
Europe.
The greatest and most pressin
question dealt with by the Rome cor
ference was, of course, that of the OF
ganization of huge united ononsiv
strokes on the main front this year
y The moment for delivering thes
: simultaneous blows will be decide
u uror by the commanders-in-chief, b.
1t is 90 secret that by next April II
millions OF men end women Worldr
In munitions factories will have pr
II duced sufficiently enormous quan1
r ties of runs and shells for the bc9i
y nina CT a continuous offensive tn;
g viii, break beyond repair the belt (
t iron laid by tho Germanic invadei
II across Europe. Had not Entenl
Il statemen been sincerely convinced
$ their steadily increasing military s.
d periority over Germany they woul
o not have shut the door on Germany
Y, peace opening
Real unity of arfay command Is
J. immediate probability in tho Enten
" camp Ii will very likely center
'e ore man, Supported by a smell int
u national staff
y In future Entente offensives Il
ly weight Of attack will he more fair
a. apportioned to the rg nations in !
n ccrdancc with their resources In m,
A power than has been the CAGE hi
IN erto. The British front is gradual
i'll lengthening, it will grow a lot long
ld before the war is over In fact, t
n relative burden OF united ofiensiy
will be decided uTon after a consid'
We alton Of population, number Of co
ia hatants, figure Of losses and lene
ng Of front in tho case of each Enter
Or nation.
ID Regarding munitions no longer "
OF each country manufacture merely
re itself with view Of various part
al attacks fixed in advance. Hen
ID, forth the countries will decide
its The amount Of defensive mater
90 necessary for the whole front,
the material necessary for olfensi'
in on the whole of the different from
&c, 90 the quantity Of raw material
do munitions needed III every country,