The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1917-11-15

planning of military or naval pro-
gramme and the concentrated effort
that actually means use of the
modified power. Many persons in
the United States entertained the
notion last April that the war would
be over by the autumn of this year:
others said by Christmas. If poll
could have been taken outside Of
WASHINGTON most Americans would
have guessed short war. But the
impression given by the men who
know what is going on is that it is a
long haul ahead. Lord Kitchener
didn't popularize himself by predict
ing three years of war in 1913, and
no member of President Wilson S
Cabinet wants to do any predicting
at all. Yet their privately expressed
views do not indicate belief that
the war is near its end, but that it
is in the very middle stage of its
duration
"War Over When We Have Won."
''The war will be over when we
have won,' said ol:e Cabinet secre-
tary, as he outlined in general way
to me the plans for next year, and
the year after, and so on. He did
not underestimate or overestimate
Germany's resourcefulness. He
merely estimated the time it would
take for the Allied strength to deal
the effective blows which will mean
victory, apparent as we'll as real.
That mans judgment is all the more
worth taking because if there were
ray of peace on the horizon, he
would know it, and if there were a
chance for peace he would be among
the first to help drive for it.
When Premier Lloyd George said
peace was not in sight, he expressed
exactly the viewpoint of government
officials here. The end is not in
sight, discouraging as such a state
ment must be. An6 the true feeling
here is that America is just begin
ning-and to Entente minds that
means>a new stage in the war, a new
weight of American might can be
hurled against the German lines.
Can Germany hold out? Have the
Central Powers enough food They
would not have had enough if Russia
had remained intact and Rumania un-
beaten. Russia's revolution has pro-
longed the war, but has not altered
it's outcome Germany was getting
wheat and supplies through the Rus
sian lines before the revolution came.
Undoubtedly the frontiers today are
not we'll protected because of the mil
itary chaos in Russia. But every
American who has returned from
Russia within the last four weeks
tells the same story to the American
Government. 1t is one of decided op-
timism and encouragement Russia
may have been turned topsy-turvy in
the last six months, but she will come
back. 1t may take another twelve
months, but her return to the fold
will come at an opportune moment.
Washington Looking Far Ahead.
So in viewing the Russian situation,
the tendency here is to look far ahead
not to consider what Russia's
plight is today and this year, but
what will be her military effective
ness in 1918 and 1919. The Ameri-
can embargo and British blockade
are keeping from Germany raw ma
terials vitally needed, but the civil
ian population Of the Central Pow
ers are not starving. Austria is in
worse condition than Germany, but,
so far as pure opinion here goes,
most people do not think shortage
of food will force peace. Remem-
bering that the South fought bravely
for two years after the issue had
been decided in our civil war, there
is no real confidence that German
collapse is Immediate.
The only argument that will ap-
peal to the German general staff is
superior military strength. The
spirit of Germany is unDroNen-there
is no thought of defeat largely be-
cause the Allied powers is underesti-
mated. Believing that America is
still blufing, no attention is being
paid to American activities. That
is the new information which comes
through official and unofficial chan
nels. Only when million Amerl-
cans have taken their places in the
battle-line and million more are
behind the lines in reserve and hun