Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-05-24
SOCIALISTS UNABLE
TO GET REPORTS
TO STOCKHOLM
GOVERNMENT TRIES TO IMPRESS
UPON NATION THAT WAR is
REAL AND THAT LIBERTY
BONDS ARE IN JEOPARDY UN-
LESS MIDDLE WEST RESPONDS.

Washington, May a. Adminiatra
zion leaders today set to wori. IN real
earnest t. meet wha, has become q
very serious situation 1t is 10 end the
arathy now existing thruCut The coun-
try and irine home to the people
those OF the central and far
west-the bitter realization OF what
the nation actually is facing
From every section Of The west
word has come that the people must
consider the war as serious factor
The unfortunate part OF it is that The
president in part is to blame His
utcrances have been interpreted liter
ally and the opponents Of war are dc,
ing their best to take advantage Of
this fact to arouse a natiOnal-wide
peace sentiment.
SO serious is the situation that it Is
admitted the success Of the Liberty
loan is emperilled and Senators and
representatives have felt called upon
to apologize for the construction that
was placed on the Presidents speech
m the Red Cross building dedication
Il couple Of weeks ago. Then the
President said that the United States
had no grievance against Germany.
What he meant, the White House and
administration congressional leaders
are now carefully explaining, was that
this country had no grievance
against Germany other than the griey
ances which all democracies naturally
must have.
During the next few days every eff
font is to be made to make il plain to
the people of the country that not only
has the United States q real grievance
AGAINST Germany, but that unless all
Of the man power and the money
power OF the nation il eXeited to aif
Gormany's allies and crush that ma.
ton, the result may prove very ser
ous.
That is the real reason why tho
United tSates has refused passport
TO the Socialist delegates Victor
Werser Of Milwaukee; Morris Hill
quit and Algernon Lee, Of New Yorf
who want to attend the proposed
Socialist conference in Stockholm
Sweden has backed German peace pre-
posals for many months.
The government has complete CIV,
donce that the proposed conference
not alone is backed by German
agents and German money, hat that i
also has in view taking steps whel
viii prove most embarrassing to thu
enemies OF Germany. Because OF thi.
the Socialist delegates will not be
permitted TO so as the State Depart
ment has made ii plain that the con
ference really is planned along line
which would place the United State.
in false light
While a great Fart Of the countr.
remains apathetic to the war spirit
officials who know the real situation
say that the war very easily can las
for three years more. They say very
frankly that, while the selective drar
plan calls ter only 100000 in the frs.
ccnacriptcd army and for enough ad
ditional men to fill the gaps in tho
regular army and the National Guard
that the War Department is Workin,
along lines for an army of three mil
lion men at the outset
This army will be trained as fast as
possible so that when Germany i
crushed he United States win do a
real mans part on the field
No one who has talked to the mem
bers of various commissions who hays
been in this country. can have any
The gains being made by the British
and French on the west front are ma.
ieri2l, but they are far from beins
vital to German strategy The visit
luS HlllIAulN lltil dHN Hldlt SUItIl sly
that eventually Germany will be push
ed back 20 the Rhine. but that IA il
viii of necessity be one Ct months
and that when that objective is reach.
ed the real campaign will commence
There Is not the slightest evidence
anywhere that victory is not COnsid
cred certain in the end But it will
be no triumphal procession, officials
say and the United States will pay
a staggering price for the final result
The utmost confidence is felt by The
military experts here thai the inge
nuity Of The United States will devise
new doath-dealing devices which will
crush the German offensive.
SO far the Yankee inventor is doing
good work Scores Of devices have
been furnished the War and New
Departments and at least dozen o.
them have been accepted What they
are first will be shown by American:
in active service
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