The Palatka news and advertiser., 1917-11-30
WAR IS A STALEMATE.,
N0PEACE BEFORE 1878
Declares G on gre S S.
man Mccormick, Just
Back from Europe.

Russia's collapse and the unreadi-
ness of the United States make hope
less any thoughts Of peace before
1919, in the opinion of Medill McCor-
mick, congressman at large of Illinois,
who has just returned from a visit to
most of the important fronts of the
European battle line.
Mr.. Mccormick in statement said
"The Germans are not winning the
war.
Neither are we.
"The war presents stalemate from
which we are unable to extricate our
selves because of the collapse of Rus T.
sia and the unreadiness of the United
States.
Nowhere in Europe did I find an
informed soldier or public man who
believed that military decision could
be achieved before 1919, when the
United States might add effectively to
pressure on the Central Empires.
There is practically no hope that Rus
sia can be useful during 1918; Rus
sia is so disordered that she cannot
make war; Happily, in all probabili-
ty, neither can she make peace.
"The resources of the Central Pow
ers have been energetically spent.
They are bleeding terribly. But they
act with greater energy, unity and
skill than their enemies. Thus they
made seemingly successful drive in
to Italy. The real object Of their po-
litical foray into Venetia was partly
to make camoufage to conceal their
steady losses from Verdun and partly
to provoke revolution in Italy.
"The Italians were undergunned,
neither had they enough ammunition.
But even so, they would not have been
driven back as they were if two or
three divisions, debauched by the spy
system of Germany, had not thrown
down their arms.
"The French and British have
moderate preponderance in guns, and
man for man they Outright the Ger
mans.
"While there are still excellent Ger
man divisions in Flanders, there was
an appreciable diminution in the NOR
ale and the physical quality of the
German troops to the French and
British forces. At the battle of the
Chemin des Danes the German bat
teries were so drenched with fire that
they were unable to reply. With
mathematical exactness the French
took the terrain. Hundreds and hun
dreds of heavy guns were employed
to wreck the enemy defenses. This
is an artillery and industrial war.
That must never be forgotten. Above
all heavy guns are necessary-heavy
guns with their obvious compliments
of aircraft and rail transportation,
but heavy guns and still more heavy
guns; twenty-five thousand cannon to
be made in American factories and
shipped to France before March /,
1919. This is the essence Of victory
and great guns offer the only means
by which it can be won.
"The issue of this war will be de-
cided in Washington and by the fur
naces of America.
'The splendid little American army
which already has crossed the seas
rendered great service when the
echo of the first American feet on the
soil of France carried to every home
the promise that that strength and
still more the industrial genius of
America will bring succor to France.
France is fighting with heroic and
dogged courage. Her. steady.
thoughtful soldiery are ready to spend
their blood and to die, in the belief
that America will forge the wapons to
win the war. They must not be mis-
taken.
81 say earnestly that we must have
greater coordination of effort. We
must have true war council, such
council of men who represent in the
greatest degree the energy and the
genius of America. 1t will be fruit
less if we are ready too late"
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