Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1917-03-23
COMMUNICATIONS.
WILL THE ALLIES WIN?
70 the Editor of the Register:

To the Editor OF the Register
While there is little doubt about the
Allies winning the war eventually
there does appear to be some question
in the minds of people about their
ability to bring the conflict to a success
full termination this year. We were as
sured by the Allied nations at the open
ing of the year 1915, and again last
wear, that the war could not last longer
than year. When the same assurance
comes from across the seas that the
great war will be ended, and ended
right, in 1917 it makes the most OPTIC
mistic friend of England and France
wonder to what extent political eX-
pediency prompts the assertion and also
how much more potential supremacy
the Allies have over the Central Powers
now than they had in 1915.
Along with the wonderful organiza-
ton that has taken place in England
and France since the opening OF the
war. it should be borne in mind that
Germany and the other Central Powers
have left no stone unturned to make
their defence impregnable, However,
we have the assurance of a noted
English writer that munitions for the
successful prosecution and termination
of the conflict are now being turned out
in England, France and our own
country in quantities never before
dreamed of as either necessary or pos
sible.
1t took England long time to awake
to the supreme necessity of guns ano
shells. In May, 1915, nine months after
the opening of the war, Germany was
turning out $50, 900 high explosive shells
day, about 100 times as great as
England was producing, In addition tt
this greater productive power it should
be remembered that Germany begar
the war with an immense preponder
ance of material over all the Allies com
bined. England had to create and equiv
an army of millions; she had to builC
munition plants, re-organize labor
train expert mechanics, and learn how
to conserve her every resource. Sh'
has been transformed into huge wa
factory. There are 100 colossal Govern
ment plants for the manufacture o
guns and shells; 4, 800 firms that neve
knew what munitions meant before tn
war are now engaged in warlike enter
prizes; 8, 100000 people, more than
million of whom are women, are EN-
ployed in munition- making,
England is now turning out in eigh
days as much 18-pounder ammunition
in six days as much field howitzer am
munition, in a week as many medium
sized shells as the country turned out
the first year of the war. Every mont
they manufacture in England twice a
many heavy guns as her entire arm
possessed in May, 1915, the productio
having multiplied skiold in the pas
year. For every machine gun Engan
made in the spring of 1915 she nov
makes II; for every 18-pounder, she nov
makes 43; for every pound of high e>
plosives. she now makes 40. In ever
department of military and economl
preparedness England is now workln
on a colossal scale, for she realizes thu
it will be superiority Of guns and shell
that will win the war This is the bes
hope that has come to us that the wa
may be terminated within year.
In the meantime, the failure of OF
own government to prepare for the il
evitable conflict that was foresee