Evening journal., 1917-11-17

1t is one OF the misfortuncs OF war
that the successes Of the enemy are
usually looked at through the magni-
flying glass, while our own victories
are viewed through the microscope
Thus the Allied world is now attaching
to the disasters in Italy an importance
beyond that properly TO be ascribed 10
a severe defeat IN a subordinate field,
while Understanding the defeat Of the
submarine campaign revealed alike In
the recent figures and In the statements
Of Admiral Won Tirpitz and Captain
perslus.
If one had asked a German last Febru-
airy what he would consider the rela-
tive Importance of a complete defeat Of
the submarine campaign and a German
succegs In Northern Italy in the month
Of November, can any one mistake what
the answer would have been? II any
Allied sympathlser had then ventured
TO assert that the German submarine
campaign IN the second week Of No
vember would result in the destruction
Of but one British ship above 1900 tons
does anybody question what the Ger
man response would have been2
It Is essential at this time Of Allied de-
preston TO preserve ones perspective.
After their defeat at the SOmme last
year, the Germans proposed peace, and
their peace proposals were rejected.
They then embarked upon a submarine
campaign certain TO. bring neutral ma
tions into the war, because they were
satisfied that they could produce a de-
oision in the European fight before
the neutrals could become factors. Had
the Germans cherished any hope of a
military decision in Europe they would
not have embarked upon their submar-
inc campaign. Their own literature
and their own officials are tle best
testimony TO the fact that they re-
garded the submarine campaign as the
last hope Of a decision.
Now the submarine campaign has
failed. It has imposed heavy losses, but
these losses have been regularly de-
oreaslng over the last three months
until the present week sees a total Of
one large British ship sunk. This figure
will naturally be exceeded in follow
| ing weeks. but, despite this fact, the
truth is no longer TO be disguised.
The failure Of the submarine cam
! paign, which was apparent TO the Ger
mans many weeks ago, supplies the
! best explanation for the current sxcur-
sion into Italy. The Germans sought a
decision AGAINST the French with their
armies at the Marne and at Nerdun
| 1hey sought a decision against the
British and the French IN the West
thereafter on the sea by the submarine
campaign. All three major effOts have
failed and the last one has brought
with 10 the entrance Of the United
States into the war and the arrival Of
American troops in Lorraine. as indi-
Gated by the German official statements
Unable TO achieve any valuable sue
cesses in the West, the Germans have
been forced to seek some semblance
Of a decision elsewhere. Therefore they
have gone TO Italy.
BY comparison with the submarine
collapse the Allied disaster IN Italy is
unimportant Even the elimination OF
| Italy from the war would not com
pensate for the permanent suppression
! OF the submarine campaign, because
| with the failure Of the submarine cam.
paign the Germans have lost their sOl'
weapon against their principal enemy
the English, and against that new
! tuNAi1 NAAlNA VIII tAoN iiA'A' ohA iAAoA
dangerous as the weeks and month";
pass-name,v, the United state Occu
patton Of Italian territory is no coun
terweight for this. complete conques
OF Italy would be no set-on -on tn
military side for the total failure 0
the submarine campaign. -.-t.--
Germany can only win the war, sh
can only attain a victorious peace o.
even a peace satisfactory to her rulers
by achieving some success against tn
( British and the French-not' a defensiv
success which prevents the invasion o
Germany, but an offensive success
which compels the Western enemies q