The Washington herald., 1917-07-16
The War as Il Stands.

America In her nush OF miiitary en-
thusiam can hardly appreciate the war
weariness Of Europe" writes Lon
don newspaper correspondent.
He mar. be right. OF all peoples in
the world the Americans are the least
keen for mere military glory. however;
"our flush of military enthusiasm
is merely the typical American spirit
demanding that We discharge honor
ably and worthily the great task we
have assumed. There Is no lust of
victory. no clangor of conquest. here.
II peace were proclaimed tomorrow 1t
would meet with as eager a welcome
on this side of the Atlantic as the
other.
War organization every day becomes
stronger in the United States. We are
coming to regard it now as a great
international test Of our efficiency. We
are on our mettle. Americans have
seen what England did. entering the
war in a complete state of unprepar-
edness; and they are determined to
do as well, or better. That is rapidly
becoming the dominant spirit of the
nation. We recognize that our whole
future is bound up not only in the
outcome of the war. but in the char
acte- and quality Of the share that We
contribute to it. For that reason we
are slowly, but none the less surely,
becoming militarized. The country is
beginning to think in terms Of soldiers,
ships, aeroplanes. shells. and all the
other mighty paraphernalia of modern
warfare.
We are not going to slacken up this
process of organization because. on
the surface aspect of things, peace
seems to be not far on. Its effect
harder. Every additional ounce of
pressure that America can bring to
bear on the war now will hasten the
day of peace. II the German people
are made to know beyond all chance
Of doubt that the United States is 60
ing to throw all her mighty power into
the war. there can be little question
of what they will DO. Only utter mad
ness would lead them to turn a los
ing and hopeless fight into a struggle
of determination. Their rulers might
make such a choice, but their people
would never rush headlong to such
an insane abyss.
How far the German people have
been apprised of the real facts Of the
war We do not know. They must know
that the move for a separate peace
with Russia is a failure. The news
that a new and exceedingly dangerous
Russian offensive is entering its mid
career cannot be entirely concealed
from them. The fact that America is
getting into the war up to the hilt
must soon become apparent. despite
the venalities of the press. The dis
affection of Austria, the real strength
of the peace movement backed by En-
peror Charles, must be comprehended,
at least in part, by them. The new
attitude Of the Vatican, affecting the
policy of the Centrum in the Reichs-
tag. cannot be kept from the mind
of middle-cIass Germany.
For these reasons We are inclined
to think that German war-weariness,
superimposed on German psychology
and German incapacity to Withstand
adversely over a protra cted period. will
lead to decisive results before many
months have passed As to war
weariness among the peoples of the
entente. it is clear that their spirits
must be revived somewhat by the in
disputable evidence that the enemy is
faltering. They know now that victory
is theirs if they are willing to pay the
price, which is the continuance of the
struggle to the certain end. Under
the circumstances, it is not a high
price. The alternative is to give the
Prussian a respite. and permit him to
make a second bid for the mastery of
the world when he has recovered his
strength.
Such a peace is to be spurned. That
feeling transcends all the war-weari-
ness of the allied nations, and it DOM
mates America.