Middletown transcript., 1917-08-04
| DO NOT EXPECT
AN EARLY PEACE
Washington Officials Realize
Situation is Serious.
SOME BIG PROBLEMS AHEAD
Winning OF War Up To Americans.
Administration Confident Nation
Will Prove Equal To
Task.

Washington.-No attempt is made
here to minimize the seriousness of
the situation in the war theatres in
Europe. The United States is in the
war and will go through with It; but
any hope of short struggle has gone
glimmeing with the apparently almost
complete collapse of the Russian war
machine.
Increases Task In West.
The development was not unexpect-
ed by many army officers. When the
offensive of July l was started by the
Russian forces the most frequent COM
ment heard here was that it was prob
ably the dying kick of the old Russian
machine. Most observers we're frank
ly skeptical that it could produce any
decided result.
For the United States the Russian
collapse may have an immediate and
direct bearing. 1t will, If the German
general staff presses its advantage, re-
lease additional German forces to
bolster up the Western front, where
American troops are to be engaged.
The German line in the West has not
been seriously impaired at any point,
officers here believe. They do not
claim to know specifically the situation
all along the battle front, but they are
unable to see that the British and
French have wrested from the Ger
mans any key position of such i'm
portance that it can be used next year
to hurl the enemy back toward the
Rhine.
Chance Lies In Belgium. d.
1t has been noted in fact that the
one strategic advantage gained in
recent fighting was gained by the Ger
mans. Many officers here believe that
when small sector of the British
line in Belgium was overwhelmed and
its defenders nearly all captured or
killed, the Germans improved the
situation on their weakest front ma
terially. That view is based on opin-
ion that the only hope Of decisive at
tainments for the Allies in the West
lies in rolling up the German right
flank where it reaches the sea in Bel
GUM.
If that could be done, it is argued
that the U-boat bases could be stamp
ed out and the only offensive instru-
ment of the Germans be eliminated
entirely or so seriously impaired as to
make 1t ineffective.
Cost Would Be Heavy.
The big question is whether it could
be done. It would require combined
army and navy operations on that part
of the Belgian coast held by the Ger
mans, for it would be necessary to
force landing behind their line and
force the whole right flank back from
the sea as result.
The price of victory of this nature
against the U-boats and German shore
batteries probably would be appalling.
and there is nothing to indicate that
the effort is being seriously considered
at the present. 1t cannot be question
ed, however, that many army men,
both in Great Britain and the United
States, favor some such desperate at
tempt to bring the struggle to con-
clusion.
Reports received from France, ON.
cial and unofficial, so far as known,
give no cheering picture of what must
be done. There appears to be no doubt
that the Allied line can stand against
any force Germany can bring against
it. Even the Russian disaster does
not affect that situation. But to gather
the necessary strength for success
full offensive will take time and ample
sea transportation facilities If the
United States is to furnish the needed
surplus of men, airplanes, munitions
and food.
The transportation problems before
the United States, both on land and
sea, are constantly increasing in scope.
It seems to be certain now that whole
systems will have to be set
up in France to give the American
line the flow of war materials and
men that it must have to press homo
an attack.
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