Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-06
CONCENTRATE OUR POWER

NE ARE not going to win this war by
~ dissipating our resources and scatter
ing them to the four winds. The people of
this country. greedy as they are of sacri-
nee, are not ready yet to deprive them
selves of virtual necessities for purposes
Of doubtful expediency. They cannot gam
yble on the outcome of the struggle; they
must be sure of winning it.
not a Government. 1t is bottled chaos.
The while it stabs at the Allied cause,
which is the very soul of democracy. by
armistices with autocrats and contemplated
surrender Of great numbers of prisoners
Of war. many of whom will be returned
to the Teutonic fighting ranks. it stabs
Russia itself by its supreme indifference
to property rights. its defiance Of recog-
nized institutions and its deliberate Incl
tation OF class feeling. Government is
humanitys device for the assurance of
security for body and property. The
Bolsheviki program is opposed to the Sc.
6nly because it has not had enough time
IN which to be waterlogged. 1t is as cer-
tain soon to sink as the sun is to rise.
The phases Of mass uprisings can safely be
foretold. The march Of revolution follows
rather definite paths. If in degree the
Russian upheaval has differed from that
which sngulfed and liberated France, it is
IN degree only. A Government blown into
- thousand fragments is not pieced to-
5ether in n night. Time alone is. the
master reconstructor.
Never, we belie2e, in the history of ma
tions have aid and comfort been given
BY one nation to another comparable to the
aid and comfort given by us to democratic
Russia But we do not help democracy in
Russia when We aid the Bolsheviki. We
doubt II 1t is possible for us to aid democ-
racy In Russia by any direct contributions
70 that vast territory. There is but one
way In which to aid aye, to preserve,
democracy on the face of the earth, and
that is by the complete discontinue Of
TIE enemies of democracy, To do that
requires concentration of our resources
There are now but two battlefronts, or
only one. The line in Italy must be held
but 1t is along the line from Switzerland
70 ths sea that liberty must win is way
The event. indeed may demonstrate that
it WAS fortunate for the Allies that the
Vaccinations Of the enemy stopped the
long ocean caravans: to Archangel ended
he East and taught the lesson that the
var must be won in a straight sure fight
IN the West. We dreaded for time the
recall OF German iegions from the East.
That has been discounted. for virtually
the full might OF the enemy already is in
the West. We have him there at the very
summit Of his power, at his maximum
otrength. and he cannot break through
He cannot even hold his lines. Add to
the improvsed armies OF Great Britain
the improvised armies of America and the
j0ng deadlock will be broken. But not
unlsss we concentrate on this one front
~ total Of our resources Let II there be
~. the surplus Of our supplies flow TO
&ntiying forces Of possible power, but not
- oufice of powder should go to Russia
aspd5r IT'S present Government, or under
~ succeedine Government OF the near
f1<ure. We can take care of Russia after
- have taken care Of the Kaiser, though
M = different manner. We are the cham
Dns Of world liberty, but we are not vet
o1 International Santa Claus.
NE present war win not be won by
9t4nt campaigns II will be decided in
& l1o1um, where 1t began. The nation, there
~, demands that its sacrifices be trans
~ into power on the ,siern front and
Into pap for coward AMI yislonaries
there. We cannot coddllng para.
when ~e have fight ON our