Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-05-26

TO the Socialists of Germany and
Austria in which these significant
words occur:
you cannot allow your government
to be the executioner of Russian IL
berry; YOU cannot allow your Govern
ment. taking advantage of the JOY
evoked in the Russian army. by Ii
berty and fraternity, to hurl their
troops upon the western front, in The
first place. in order to curb France
and then dash on Russia
This confesses their utter helpless
ness from Il military point of view
Dispatches report that one manufac-
turing district producing large
amounts of ammunition has Overruled
its local government and seeded
These are unmistakable signs OF so
cial and political disintegration and
dissolution.
Only the most heroic measures can
now even partially save Russia to the
allies as an important factor in the
war operations that fate has played
into Won Hindenbergs hand
The whole attitude of the German
Chancellor toward peace interpella
ton reflects this turn of fate 10 adj
vance the fortunes of the Teuton
powers. His recent speech in the
Reichstag breathes a new confidence
He states in these significant words
the idea of official Germany as to the
effect of the dissolution of Russian
power Our military position has
never been so good since the begin
ming of the war and again. shall
nail down the German Empire by
onesided formula which renounces
success won by the blood of our sons
and brothers,
Some appreciation can be gained of
the cardinal significance of the mill
tary elimination of Russia when we
recall the importance that all mill
tary critics assigned to Russia in
their comparisons early in the war.
especially to the limitless men power
of that empire, its ability to come
back stronger each year The elm
nation of this factor upsets the whole
war equation.
If America were prepared nation,
ready to throw her full power upon
the front the equilibrium might be
partially restored. But taking full
account of the moral effect of the
small forces we can send to France
this summer, we will have to admit
that as military factor we can
count but little in this seasons opera
tions that comprise the real crisis of
the war
Let the American Commission to
Russia, the British and France com
missions TO Russia do everything pos
sible to restore weight to Russia as
a military factors especially to try
to get Russia fighting, say on the Ru
manian front. ii on no other front.
Let italy come into. the game
stronger that ever not only with
new drive on the Austrian front. but
also with a strong expedition to
Salonika.
Two Moves Vital to Allies
Let the Serbian and Rumanian ar.
mics be thrown anew into the con.
flict-all of these operations to be
yitalized by American financial sup
port.
But in spite of all that can be done
in these auxiliary fields we must face
the necessity of completely changing
the grand strategy and tactics of the
Allies and must make the change
quickly, very quickly We might as
well admit now that the French and
British drives on the Aisne and at
Arras have failed of their purpose to
break through the German lines, even
when the latter were weakened to
dispatch troops to the Riga front.
Now that German reinforcements
are arriving by tens of divisions from
he eastern front the French and
British armies must look to their ,
own safety. The rest of the season
hey will be on the defensive and in
most perilous position.
Two things are absolutely neces-
'ary to avert grave disaster for the
Allies and for the world The re-
serves in England must be dis
patched to the front at once and the
llied armies must retire to the posi-
ions they occupied before the bat
les of Arras and Of the Aisne.
The censor has prevented accurate
getting aboard as to the
lumber OF British troops still in Eng
and, but the impression produced
lpon us from all angles is that the
english have been exceedingly eau
ious, over cautious, apparently keep
ng great army at home as a pre-
aution against German invasion.
My impression of the battles won
" the British Is that they lacked
nough troops to follow up fully the
advantages gained by their great ar.
illery prenarations IF thoaa I'm.