The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1917-06-19
1T CAN Be DONE
WITHOUT RUSSIA

The Boston Transcript IS Of opin-
ion that the Allies can defeat Ger
many even If Russia quits the con-
test.
"To get the Germans" says the
Transcript, England created a
great army and poured out the blood
Of her bravest and best, To fight
them, France, in the superbest sacri-
fee that ever a nation made-more
snnerb even than the self ::=:ss!a-
ton of Belgium or Serbia, because
the bulwark Of her dead raised up
line beyond which the enemy
could not pass-marshalled her
very women and children, and mort
gagged the resources of a century.
Out of her poverty, to fight these
same Germans. Italy built mp a
splendid army which thus far has
not had a defeat.
"Today America comes to the
fighting line by an assembly of her
young manhood in a vast potential
army such as the world has never
seen. But on this rampant line of
the nations one combatant is like
ly to fail. 1t is the old, sad tragedy
of freedom sought without the free
mans will-of the road back to
tyranny travelled by way of the
sloughs of anarchy.
upon noble Russia rests still
the pail of ages of despotism. It
has taken the path, but may not be
able to keep it. What then9 Shall
the battle fail, or, even if Russia is
hurled by its maleOntents into an at
titude of treason, shall it be won by
the redoubled effort of the soldiers
of freedom thatremaina Is any an
swer possible for men except the
answer of man-fght on and win?
IF, indeed, the Entente Allies and
America were disposed to make
crawling peace because Russia had
deserted them. they would deserve
no other terms except those which
Germany would condescend to give.
They will make no such peace. In
the first place, they are not in this
war to fight the battles of Russia,
but to fight their own. America,
Britain. France and Italv-has the
world seen greater alliance than
that2 Shall that alliance bow the
knee of Germany? Morally the
thing cannot be thought, and though
the Germans be the greatest soldiers
in the world, there are material cir
cumstances which, if the western
Allies hold to their task, will rem
der impossible even the draw that
the Germans now seek, and which
would be for them virtual victory.
'Let US say that the Germans
prevail over Russia, and add that
country's food resources to thex
own. Let us say that their armies
are all relieved of work on the east
ern frontier and are transferred to
the west. 1t is really an impossible
hypothesis, because if there is still.
anarchy in Russia strong German
forces must be kept on the border,
and if the Romanoffs are restored
it will not be in the person of tine
dethroned Car, now down and out,
but of stronger and not a Ger
man-loving prince who will at least
keep his sword at his side.
''But say that the Germans all go
to the west. AT that, they will not
outnumber the Allies, nor will tkey
aqual them in artillery and snell
power. They cannot bulge the line;
and to do as much even as they are
now doing, which is to- resist or
forestall Allied offensive with con-
slant counter offensives, they must
make a steady and heavy sacrifice
of life. Day by day, now, they are
hurting their landsturm, their oldest
men capable Of service, to annihila-
ton against the French and British
trenches. For this process Of ex-
haustion the Allies could not ask
anything better than that every di-