Mexico weekly ledger., 1917-05-24
CRITICAL SIX MONTHS
OF WAR IS At HAND
BY Winter the Outcome of the Great
Struggle Should be Fully Decid-
ed, is English Opinion
END MAY BE IN SIGHT
II Allies Can Force Germans on West
Front Into Decisive Battle, End
May Come in That Time

C%fDOAfs hoy 90 AhS iohNW-
ing article, by one of England's war
experts, has just appeared in the cur
rent number of London Answers:
In six months time we shall know
the best or the worst.
The best will be that the spring,
summer and early autumn offensive of
the Allies will have fatally crushed
GermRny and made her complete de-
feat only a matter Of few weeks; the
worst will be that Germany, by
averting heavily Furnishing battle
by systematic retreat, will have de-
ferred the allied hope Of victory until
future time not strictly to be de-
fined. -
What is eminently true is that the
progress which the Allies make be-
fore the winter rain and snow limit
active warfare will pre-determine the
duration of the present conflict.
In six months time we shall
know the results of the submarine
campaign, and how far short of his
aim of starving US out the enemy has
fallen. Alternatively, we shall know
to what extent the Germans have
stemmed the progress of starvation in
their own midst. The next six months
indeed, are pregnant with the fate
of Europe.
The Germans realize the signifi.
cance Of the half year ahead. They
feel that what happens then may set.
tie their destiny. History has nc
more vivid example of a nation fear
full of disaster than Germany today
apprehending the probable conse'
quences Of the next six months.
Germany Like Gambler
By every ounce of energy in hel
composition Germany will strive to
survive the coming spring, summer
and autumn. After then I'M pros.
pect is still dark as ever, for Ger
many is in the position Of gambler
who wastes his entire substance, be.
Iieving that if he can only last out long
enough his luck is bound to turn.
''But let six months pass" argues
the enemy, "and who knows what un-
toward events may occur in the allied
camp; the unexpected is always hap
pening, and who, two years ago, woulc
dare to have prophesied the end Of
czarism?"
But sooner or later, within the next
six months, the Germans will be
brought definitely to bay, and testet
in battle several times more violeni
than that which cost them six hun
dred thousand casualties on tn,
Somme, and, compared to which ever
Verdun itself may look a mere episode
Some time before this summer thi!
battle will be fought.
Some time before the summer Ger
many will be able to calculate to {
nicely what new accession of food sup
plies is available to relieve the hun
ger of her population. Therefore, al
the weeks creep around, the sign man
ual of Fate will be written in flam
ing letters of red over the face o.
Europe.
Everywhere there will be food short
age-the only difference between Ger
many and the countries of the Allie
being one of degree. We shall b.
watching whether the starvation o.
Germany is complete, while she, OF
her part, will be watching whether he
U-Boats have destroyed a sufficien
number of ships to bring hunger t.
our doors.
Civilization, holding its breath, will
have but one thought; Who will
starve first?
In Austria and Turkey the seeds o.
revolution will have been sown, and
about this time, the kaiser should
know whether these allies of his are t.
be more of hindrance than help Il
him. Bulgaria, which entered tn,
war believing that victory for th'
Central Powers was only a matter o
a few months time, should, by then
have had enough of the fighting, am
be ready to quit.