New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-14
Continued from Page One

later Britain might, at least have made
beginning with the compulsory military
training the need Of which Lord Roberts
preached so necessarily during the closing
days of his great life. Above all, set Of
INSCRIPTIONS adventures, headed by
Enver Bey, held the reins Of power in
Constantinople, but might be ousted at any
moment by the genuine patriots who
formed the rank and file of the Young
Turks. So, if Germanys tiger spring
would succeed it must be made while the
quarry lay defenceless. 1t was the act Of
God alone. manifested in the steadfastness
Of France, the willing sacrifice by Russia,
and the fine chivalry Of England, that pre-
vented the would-be spoiler from Selling its
prey at the first leap.
The military preparedness of Germany
was almost uncanny in its extent and thor
oughness. When war broke out England
had a stock of twenty. millions of rifle
cartridges. The German armies entered
Belgium with four thousand million rounds
| in their ammunition wagons--a bullet for
every sovereign which the fates had de-
creed the war was to cost England. On p
peace footing, which was supposed to en-
dure until the mobilization order was is
sued on July 30, Germany had an army Of
100000 men, yet on July % 100000 men
were in readiness in the neighborhood Of
l., 10 n Oh N
the high seas was warned long before war
was even suspected as a possible issue by
the world at large, and her cruisers were
roaming distant sea lanes for which they
must have set out weeks in advance. Al
though Germany thought, or, at any rate,
hoped that England would stand aloof,
nevertheless, on August s, fleet Of trans
ports carrying 100000 men and the neces-
sary equipment actually entered the North
Sea with orders to land on the Yorkshire
coast. Preparedness 1t was as though
the inhabitants of New York, meaning to
curb the pride Of Brooklyn, armed them
selves in secret, gathered at the bridges
and in the subways and threw themselves
straightway on their defenceless neighbors.
With Sleeves Rolled Up
The French realized their peril far more
quickly than the English, but my fellow
.countrymen, if slow to act, are determined
folk when they take their coats off. And
England's coat is surely off now. To be
exact in metaphor, she has taken off the
5roadcloth and donned khaki, and the same
mills turn out both brands. You Ameri-
cans have been surprised, | fancy, at the
seeming lethargy of Britain in entering
the fray. Believe me, it was not so. She
could not avoid certain conditions. In a
measure, France was ready because she
had the men, so, for many weary months,
the British new levies remained unclothed
and unarmed, since every arsenal and
cloth mill in England was equipping and
clothing the French. Russia, too, claimed
the aid of our industries. And the wastage
of our own troops at the front was phe-
IEomenal. The life of a Lee Metford rife
was a short six weeks Why, our raw
territorials, guarding the coast, were
armed with japanese weapons, while the
Volunteer Corps which myself organized
would have faced German raiders with
Winchesters sighted up to 200 yards
Again, ask-Why didn't Germany beat
us at the outset? and again | am driven to
reply that God willed we should be pre-
served miraculously.