The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1917-07-28

4oo.fVs OTuindfy SedmeHs 9OZ.oo, anu
apprentice seamen, $50.
man of great distinction told me the
other day that he estimated the weight
of purely military effort at only % per
rent of the whole, the remaining 70
per cent being, strictly speaking, of a
nonmilitary nature, and made up of
many elements-agriculture, food,
shipping, diplomacy, etc. l think he is
probably not far wrong, and when peo-
pie ask me, as they sometimes do, how
the war is getting on, | feel inclined
to reply, why ask me? Why o ask
yourself and the remainder of the rs
per cent?"
Allies Outnumber Enemy.
General Robertson's figure of "a
00O. 900 as the number Of men actually
engaged in the military operations is
probably based on as good information
MS any man in the world possesses.
The British general staff knows all
about the armies of the entente
tries, and knows all that anybody out
side Berlin and Vienna knows about
those of the central powers.
He didn't suggest how the numbers
are now divided between the two sides,
hut 1t is very certain that the entente
nations decidedly outweigh their enc
mics in mere numbers. The Germanic
powers on the other hand, have the
great advantage of shorter lines and
easier communications. With Russia
comparatively inactive, it is not AT all
certain hat the weight of numbers is
now very decidedly in favor of the en-
tente peoples. But the weight of ma
chinery is decidedly to their advantage.
In this connection there has been
some intimation in Petrograd recently
Of the possibility that japan might be
called upon In some fashion to take a
more active part in the struggle.
The first suggestion of this sort
which came from Russia was in a brief
dispatch saying the government had
categorically denied persistent rumors
that Japan might be employed to bring
pressure against Russia with the pur-
pose of convincing Russia that it would
UE nAELAg uAAQNHlAdDi0 LVt hNl u IL
pudiate her obligations to her allies.
Such a suggestion of course would be
most unfortunate, and the denial from
Petrograd is unquestionably absolutely
correct, according to the best authori-
ties here.
Worlds Greatest Reserve.
But while the employment of Japa-
nese force as an argument with Rus
STA is quite unthinkable there has been
a renewal of the suggestion that
Japan's magnificent army might yet
require to be employed in some way in
the European field. 1t represents the
greatest reserve of completely pre-
pared military force that ever stood
behind an active military campaign in
the world. If there were only means
of moving it Japan could readily and
quickly put 100000, or if necessary
100000, soldiers into the field.
To move any considerable proper
ton of such a force even into the near
est fighting areas by water is a ridieu-
lous impossibility at this time. But
there has been serious discussion, l
am told, at some of the recent confer
C among allied leaders of the pos
sibility of bringing japanese soldiers
to Europe by way of the TransSiberian
railway. Today this would necessitate
an immense expansion of the carrying
capacity of hat route.
A very large part of it has now
been double-tracked, and if ii shall be
recognized by the end of this year that
the war is likely to continue several
years the further development of
Transsiberian tonnage capacity might
be found feasible and even necessary.
One thing is certain and that is that
on neither side is there at present any
such prejudice as formerly existed
against introducing Asiatics and Afri-
cans Upon the European Dattlefelds.
The conception of this war as a war
of the whole world has been strength
ened very greatly since the beginning
of the present year. 1t is looked upon
by the western powers now as every
body's war, a war In which everybody
has not only AZ interest but a duty to
perform. That conception has affect
ed the attitude of remote and detached
peoples to a striking extent. For ex-
ample, among tribes in Africa which
would not be presumed to know any
thing about what is happening in Eu-
rope ii is said that there is a very con-
siderable interest and a desire TO help
the western nations.