Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-08-10
Teuton Drive May Result In Capture
of Petrograd, Itself, Yet Would Russia
Come Back Asserts Returned Traveller
Head Of Big New York Firm
Says SIavs Will Continue to
Fight if Germans l\eaCh
Capital.

should result in the capture of Petro-
grad itself-and That is not at all I'M
probable-such a Teutonic success
would not mean the end of Russia
as factor in the war, Russia would
"come back"
That is the opinion OF George A..
CASTOR, head of big importing and
exporting firm here, which, since the
beginning of the war, has been sup
plying motor vehicles to the allies.
Back From Europe.
Mr.. CASTOR has just returned from
an extended tour OF all the entente
countries and devoted particular at
tention to conditions in Russia. He
has visited all the allied fronts every
few months since the outbreak of
hoStilities.
81 would not be surprised to see the
Germans make tremendous advances
in Russia" he said yesterday. "and
neither would the Russians. In fact,
| believe they would be quite recon-
ciled to the loss of their capital.
They are not worried over such
prospect. They say: Well, if Petros
grad is taken we will move the capi-
tai down to MoscoW--where it ought
to be, anyhow, for geographical and
other reasons
Russia Still Far From Out.
THE loss of Petrograd would be
no particular fatality, apart from the
spectacular value of such feat by
the Germans. The Russians may fall
back, as they are now doing, for
long time and for a long distance,
but eventually there will be change
in conditions and, with its immense
man-power, the new republic will
start the flow in the other direction
and will press forward again. Ger
many had better not begin to count
Russia out. don't believe it will
ever be overcome. She situation at
the moment may look dark, and Pet-
rograd may be captured, but you will
see the tide turn eventually"
Speaking Of man-power used by the
various nations, M. CASTOR said he
though. England was expending,
proportionately, more than any other
country. Seeking men for certain
work, he advertised in London news
paper of large circulation and re-
ceived only two replies. He placed a
similar advertisement in a Paris
paper and got 100 answers. In Italy,
he said, he found more able-bodied
men about the cities than in any
other country.
Mr. CASTOR was asked what. in his
opinion as non-military man, was
the most important contribution
America could make at present to-
ward increasing the strength of its
allies.
"Above everything else, ships" he
said. "Of course that is obvious. We
need every ship that can possibly be
built-wood, steel, slow, fast, any
thing that will float, and carry sup
plies.
"Both Italy and France are heavily
handicapped by lack of coal. They
have been getting their coal mostly
from England, but there is not enough
ship tonnage to carry it now. Italy,
in particular, is in a bad way"
Mr.. Gaston's opinion as layman,
on the U-boat problem, is:
Should Attack U-Boats. !
"The submarines should be gone
after extensively more than has been
the case. The destroyer, Of course, is
the most fatal enemy the submarine
now has. But England, l think, has
been inclined too much to use its de-
stroyers defensively, rather than Of
fensively. / believe in great number
of destroyers, both British and Ameri-
can, seeking out the submarines"
The needs of our allies-and of our |
own army, in Mr.. Gaston's estimation |
as layman, are in their order OF i'm F.!
portance as follows: Il
First ships. Next, aeroplanes,, to
direct the fire of long-range artillery |
and to bomb German strongholds. |
Third, heavy tractor machines for
in France. Fourth.
large caliber artillery, which, he be-
lieves, will be useless unless the ma
chimes for transporting it are avail
able.