Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-07-27
NEW CONFIDENCE
IN WARS OUTCOME
[Continued From First Page.1

been failures. But no note of pes
simism had reached this government
from either England :or France re-
specting the difficulties faced by their
FORCES, 1t was asserted At the same
time, no assurances have been re-
ceived that the war is approaching
an early end, although in no quarter
is 1t doubted that Germany would
seize any opportunity for concluding
ante bellum.
Baker Confident
There isn't thing to justify pes
slmism, Secretary of War Baker
declared to-day. "On the contrary,
the arrangements made by the Brit
lsh and French on the western front,
together with the splendid progress
being made by the American troops,
aHord basis for an entirely different
attitude. | feel more than cheerful.
L am getting more and more con-
fident every day of our power and
the ultimate triumph of our cause"
When asked about the returned
military observers" who are cred
lted with saying the German lines
were iuvincible. Mr.. Baker said:
We got no such information.
thlnk have as much access to what
IS going on over there as anybody
M!ltary reports of all kinds come to
me. And l haven't heard or read q
thing to bear out the stories of a
lack OF morale and hopelessness in
the trenches. Things are getting
forward"
Military men, however, who viewed
the situation from a purely profess
slonal standpoint stated that neither
the allied armies nor their navies
presented any prospect OF a "knock-
ont blow; that the war, if pressed
10 strict military decision, inVolv-
ing the complete defeat of Germany,
viii continue at least two years
longer. unless something snaps
somewhere"
Situation in Britain
An authority with nationwide
reputation said:
Conditions in Ireland and the
labor situation in England are hold
ing the British army in Britain. The
feeling in Ireland is very bitter. and
England does not feel that it would
be safe to withdraw from the coun-
try forces that would be availble to
meet any emergency in Ireland. For
the same reason she hesitates to
abandon the labor situation to itself,
as there is considerable unrest and
'dlscontent among the working
people.
Therefore England has about ap-
preached the limit of the troops she
can spare for the western front,
which is considerably short of the
number necessary to create the pre-
ponderance of force which is essen
ttal to the effort of breaking the
German lines. In addition to the
irish and labor considerations, Eng
land must maintain at home a very
powerful force to prevent the very
possibility of what some persons
have predicted, namely, an invasion
of England by German army.
France Has Called Last Man
France, as the world knows, has
called to the colors her last man. and
this does net mean the last French
man in France merely, but the last
man available for military service
she possesses in every part of the
world. There is no lack of war spirit,
or marvellous morale, in France, and
her economic problems are not in
soluble. But she must look to the
United States or to Italy for troops
to help her establish that superiority
in strength without which the Ger
man lines cannot be broken.
Russia is not playing out, but
Russia is unable to employ now, and
probably will not be able to employ
for considerable time. any strength
proportionate to her resources. De-
spite contrary reports. the Russian
situation from a military viewpoint
is not even approaching a crisis. She
Is a great, undigested nation, and
one part of her gets together when
another part plays out. Germany
has done her utmost already to force
Russia out of the war, and has
failed.
View Russia Unbeatable
so long as Russia remains in the
war Germany will be compelled to
maintin enormous forces on the east
ern front; she lacks sufficient troops
to penetrate Russia far enough to
force decision with that country.
Russia is too great; her soldiers,
whether beaten or panic-stricken, may
retreat, and continue to retreat, but
there is limit to Germany's pursu-
ing them. Besides, fresh forces are
always available in Russia.
The serious danger from Russia
consists of the possibility of the pro-
vlsional government seeking to in
duce the allies to start peace nego-
tiations. Russia realizes the difi-
culties of attempting to organize a
new government along democratic
lines and at the same time fighting
the most disastrous war in the
worlds history. She knows If peace
were restored her problems would