New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-19
American
Must Win War,
SaysM'Cormick
Representative, Returned
From Front, Asserts Issue
Depends on u. S.

CHICAGO, Nov. ls.-Russia's cola use
and the unreadness of the United
States make hopeless any thoughts of
peace before 1919 in the opinion o.
Medill Mccormick, Congressman-at-
Large of Illinois, who has just returned
from a visit to most Of the impo rtsnt
fronts of the European battle line.
Mr. McCormick in a statement to-
night said:
"The Germans are not winning the
war.
Neither are we.
"The war presents a stalemate from
which we are unable to extricate our
selves, because of the collapse Of Rus
sia and the unreadiness Of the United
States.
Nowhere in Europe did l find an in
formed soldier or public man who be-
lieved that a military decision could be
achieved before 1919. when the United
States might add effectively to pres
sure on the Central Empires. There
is practically no hope that Russia can
be useful during 1918. Russia is so
disordered that she cannot make war.
Happily. in all probability, neither can
she make peace.
Drive in Italy Camoudage
"The resources Of the Central Powers
have been energetcally spent. They
are bleeding terribly. But they act
with greater energy, unity and skill
than their enemies. Thus, they made
seemingly successful drive into Italy.
The real object of their political foray
into Nenetia was partly to make cam
outage TO conceal their steady losses
from Vcrdun to Passchendsele, and
partly to provoke revolution in Italy.
"The Italians were undergunned;
neither had they enough ammunition.
But even so, they would not have been
driven back as they were if two or
three divisions, debauched by the spy
system Of Germany, had not thrown
down their arms.
"The French and British have a mod
crate preponderance in guns, and man
for man they Outright the Germans.
while there are still excellent Ger
man divisions in Flanders, there was
an appreciable diminution in the
morale and the physical quality of the
German troops on the French and Brit
ish fronts. At the battle Of the Che
min des Danes the German batteries
were so drenched with fire that they
we're unable TO reply. With mathe-
matical exactness, the French took the
terrain. Hundreds and hundreds Of
heavy guns we're employed TO wreck the
enemy defences before the advance was
made, so. at last. when the infantry
went forward, they did so with un-
believably small losses.
Artillery AID Industrial War
This is an artillery, an industrial
war. That must never be forgotten.
Above all heavy guns are necessary
heavy guns. with their obvious compile
ments Of aircraft and rail transporta-
ton, but heavy guns and still more
heavy guns, 25,000 cannon to be made
in American factories and shipped to
France before March /. 1919. This is
the essence Of victory, and great guns
offer the only means By which it can be
won.
"The issue Of this war will be de-
cided in Washington. and by the fur
naces Of America.
THE splendid little American army
which already has crossed the seas rem
dered a great service when the echo
of the first American feet upon the
soil of France carried to every home
the promise that that strength and,
still more, the industrial genius Of
America. would bring succor TO France.
France is fighting, fighting with he
roic and logged courage. Her steady.
thoughtful soldiery are ready TO spend
their blood and TO die in the belief
that America will forge the weapons
to win the war. They must not be
mistaken.
al say very earnestly that We must
have greater coordination OF effort. We
must have a true war council such as
does not exist in Washington--a coun-
Gil of men who represent in the grea,-
est degree the energy and the genius
Of America. 1t will be fruitless If We
are ready late"