New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-09


auditors that the entrance of the United
States is welcome, since il assures TO Ger
many the humping indemnity that is
needed to save Germany from bankruptcy.
In this same time the collapse of Russia
has become unmistakable, and We now
perceive that whether Russia makes a
separate peace or not there is no POSSIBLE
ity of counting on effective Russian mill
tary operations this year. This means
that Germany will be able to use vast re-
serves that would otherwise have been
needed in the East to block the Franco
British offensive in the West This means
that, in the opinion of the best informed
military observers, there will be no mill
tary decision this year in Europe.
In the face Of this gloomy situation,
growing gloomier every moment, with the
war degeneratng into a race between two
groups Of powers against starvation, with
victory promised for the one that keeps the
turthest ahead for few more months Con-
gress cannot make up its mind how to go to
CONSUMPTION, our naval and military chiefs
are unable to decide any of the more i'm
portant problems, and the whole vast
energy and patriotic enthusiasm Of the
nation is rushing round madly, like a belt
in q factory, unconnected with the ma
chine, making a vast nolse as it whirls,
spreading dust and confusion, but accom-
plishing just nothing-or, at most, so little
as to be tragic in the present situation.
Last week we had three days of panic
and four Of placidity. This week we are
starting off with panic emotions on the
gain. The man in the street reads news
paper filled with accounts of what is going
to be done, Of the appointments Of men to
do things, Of the reports that American
brains and American inventions are to
solve all dificulties-smail wonder if he
presently believes that all is we'll and goes
hack to his job. But tomorrow he will
be rudely awakened by the news that in
brief period of time we shall be on the
edge of ruin and invasion and starvation
and Heaven only knows what else.
We have a Secretary of the Navy who
believes that he has all but abolished
class distinctions in the naval branch
Of our defence and had hoped to make
this the monument of his term. We
have a Secretary Of War who dis
covered that the morals of Washing
toms army at Valley Forge were not above
reproach and became almost famous by
announcing his discovery publicly. But no
one who knows anything about the situa-
ton will fail to recognize that the Secre-
tary of the Navy has silenced and exiled
that admiral Of our navy whose study
of the aeronautic branch Of sea fighting,
becoming of utmost Importance, has won
him worldwide renown, while the Secre-
tary of War has sent to Coventry the gen.
eral who gave us the little preparedness
we have and taught the American masses
to recognize the truth about volunteering.
After a month of war VIC have chaos
and worse than chaos. We have confusion
and worse than confusion. A nation con-
tanning vast wealth, comprising millions
of men ready to give all they have, their
lives as well as their property, eager to
prove its patriotism by sacrifice and SER
vice, is absolutely destitute of leadership,
of guidance, of any help such as intelligent
direction can give to unorganized but will
ing masses.
And the measure Of the present stua-
ton is the measure Of time. In the period
of war which We have now passed through
Germany had won Tanncnberg in the East
and seen Paris on the West, Joffre was be-
ginning the Battle of the Marine, the Brit
ish feet had swept the Channel and closed
the North Sea. The first and greatest act
in a world drama was just closing, and the
issue was about to be determined on the
field so far as the military decision could
decide it.
Let us not mistake the situation to-day.
Within a few months the war may be lost
and won. If it is lost by those who are
fighting Germany in Europe it will be lost