Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1917-10-18
the LIMIT OF TIVE war.

The observation Oflthe wash
ington Administration, voiced
through Secretary of War Ba-
ker, indicates the descisive as.
tendency OF the Allied cause
through it's established superior.
ity. The second great offensive
movement in Flanders has taken
on almost the character OF a
rush by the British and French.
Germany was never 80 hard
pressed as at the present mo-
ment. The submarine menace
has BEEN steadily abated and its
bases on the Belgian coast are
being threa ..enpd. There is no
Nation to 20 to the aid OF the
Kaiser. and to even the ordinary
run-of military students it is evil
dent that the evil day is drawing
near for Germany. All authori-
ties are now united in the opin-
ion that the war cannot last
through anotheryear. 1t would
undoubtedly be closed before the
expiration OF 1917 were it possi-
BILE for the United States to get
there with her army before the
coming of winter. The prolon-
cation OF the war until Spring
would but be in the nature OF a
respite for Germany, for then
would come the combined action
by all the Allied forces, including
most important OF all, the Amer.
lean soldiers. England herself is
taking the same view now being
entertained at Washington. Up
to within q short time ago the
belief appeared to be general that
Germany would fight to the last
ditch. The changed conditions
since the recent renewal ofactivi.
ties along the western front have
brought about a change OF view
on that matter also. "The Ger
mans," it is now.declared by The
London Observer, "will not fight
to the last man, because they
cannot. Their position is worse
than is usually imagined. Their
man power, already severely tax.
ed and showing the approach OF
deficiency, will he strained next
year to the last degree The en-.
emy is on the defensive and must
keep going back without the
slightest hope OF reversing that
position" The Observer EN-
phasizes the fact that mo power
can come to the aid of the Cen
trail Empires as America came to
the aid of the Allies. Germany
and her partners are closely be-
sieged. Their own strength,
though still stubborn, is on the
down grade, and no accession o.
force can come to them from out
side sources. Napoleon said un
answerably:: An army that can
not reinforce itself must perish.
He used the remark in connection
with a small situation, but thu
thought applies just as we'll to 6
larger. Before ANOTHER year il
out, if the Allies do their duty,
the last hopes that the German
still cherish will be extinguished
Their casualties will have reach
ed the unbearable ratio. Thci
economic state, il not finally in
tnlerable, will be still more wret'
ched. They will be driven from
the Belgian coast, and thatalon'
would mean a critical change iI
German psychology. The Allies
supremacy will beequally unmis
taxable and irreversible 10 the
air, OIL land and at sea-"
As finally settling all doubts
The Observer submits in evidenc
that "some 100000 American
trcops, as well as dense swarm
OF American airI,lanes will be il
the western field a year henc
-. and we are convinced tina
the breaking point for German
power wall have been reache,
just about II months from now