The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-08-01
HOW LONG WILL WAR LAST
By HOLLAND

Ky HO New York, July s1.-(SpeciaI)-To one l of the American bankers who was in conference In the late autumn of 1914
 with representatives of the British gov
 ernment. Lord Kitchener said that the
 war would not end before August, 1917
 He thought the chances were that it
 would be prolonged beyond that date
 Kitcheners statement was in reply to a
 question put to him by this American
 financier, not inspired by curiosity but
 because it was deemed important that
 it should be known in the United States
 what the authorities in Great Britain re-
 garded as the presumable length of the
 war For the United States was to as-
 sist Great Britain by advancing money
 and by providing her with necessary sup
 plies.
 It seems to be the prevailing opinion
 with the men who must aid the govern ment in securing from time to time fresh
 supplies of money, especially through the marketing of loans, that the war is more likely to be continued for at least two years from August of this year than to be brought to a conclusion within few months Nevertheless, the financial
 leaders have in view contingency that
 a situation may arise within a few
 months which will make possible negotia-
 tions that have in view treaties of peace. 1 It is observed also that these men of 1 financial authority are now persuaded
 that the government at Washington con templates the possibility, even the prob ! lxe r%f two years longer duration. Furthermore, | these financial leaders now understand that those in authority at Washington l are preparing to fight Germany and Aus 1 tria, not solely or chiefly for the purpose
 of aiding England, France, Russia and the other allies, but chiefly with intent so to dominate the situation at the close l of the war that both North and South i America shall be absolutely free from 1 the possibility of any German aggressive
 ness with intent to compass a victory over the United States, and thereby to | demand a colossal indemnity
 ] In speech recently made by Senator Borah he voiced thought frequently expressed by the financial leaders when he said that this war is undertaken by the United States for the purpose of per manently defending American institu- | tions In other words, it is an American | war waged by the United States for the United States, although the people so far, as a whole. seem not to have compre- hended this. A day or two ago banker of high authority who has been loaned to the government and is now in active at Va h in cyfO ct
 until the American people fully under stand that this is their war, entered into for the defense of American instt- tutions and the American principle of republican democracy will there be dem- onstrated that great and overwhelming public opinion of which the administra- l ton at Washington and Congress now stand greatly in need.
 AN OBJECT LESSON
 It has been remark commonly heard
 here since Secretary McAdoo made the statement that when the Senate first ! heard it astounded it's members because it was apparent that the secretary looked 1 for the securing and expenditure of a7,- | GOO, GOO in the first F months of the | war, that this statement of itself will | teach a valuable object lesson. It will
 cause Americans to sit up and think
 and when they have done this they will
 realize that We have begun war not so much to aid France and England as to l protect ourselves.
 GOVERNOR TILDEN'S MONITION Forty years ago Samuel J Tilden, in communication which he hoped would be read by every American, earnestly ad- vised construction of an adequate sys- tenn of coast defenses. These should be so built, he said, as to protect the At lantic and gulf seaboard and that of the Pacific coast as well. Governor Tilden intimated that improvements in the mu- nitions of war which he foresaw inven- tive genius would provide would make ! it necessary constantly to improve these fortifications. He argued that the money would be well spent no matter how many millions were involved But at that time peace and prosperity, which reached a dangerous imitation point, caused the people to pay little heed to Governor Til- den's warning. Now those things which that farseeing statesman advised are to be undertaken by the government, although there was not any common knowledge of that pur- pose until the executive authorities at Washington informed Congress that 1t was vital that our coast defenses be so strengthened as to afford a reasonable sense of security from attack by sea. | There can be no other meaning of this l Sta tement in the view of those in this l city who paid heed to it than that the government realizes that should Ger many triumph in the war 1t Is highly | probable. and many believe inevitable, | that after she has recovered from the strain of the present war she will turn hostile eyes toward the United States | Furthermore there appears to be no dis sent to the view held in the financial | district that should Germany and Aus tria triumph then Germany will exact | an indemnity from the United States | which in amount may make the $17,ooo,- o0c,0Oo now needed by the government i seem almost trivial.
 FIGHTING IT OUT ALONE
 The government at Washington, accord ing to the view held here, is determined to fight this war to the end, no mat ter what may happen to England and | France. It Is in fact conceivable that | we may be at war with Germany after Great Britain and France cease to fight the central alltes. Therefore, 1t is neces- | sary to prepare upon a stupendous scale | so that we may carry on the war to q | successful end even though we have no allies. Now and then, comments are heard i in the financial district that within the | next two years an army of 100000 men | may be fighting Germany under the |
 --- -