Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1917-09-20
E @ R A L
MUST MATCH GERMAN EFFICIENCY.

MUST MATCH GEIMAN EFFICIENCI.
This war will not have been won by America and its allies
until it and they shall have matched the efficiency which Ger
many has demonstrated again and again during the past three
years.
The American government, Of course, recognizes this eff
6cency, knowing that it must be matched in order to win the
war, but the American people, as a class, do not seem to have.
awakened to a complete realization Of the magnitude of the
struggle before the world In overcoming German aggression.
Many of us seem to think that Germany is on the point of
yielding. Not a few believe that internal difficulties will soon
force the German autocracy to sue for peace. Some of us
seem disposed to believe that starvation stares the German
people IN the face.
James W.. Gerard, who was formerly a member of the
supreme court of the state of New York, and who is a man of
broad vision and extensive observation, tells us, after four
years residence at Berlin, that Germany is far from beaten.
Mr.. Gerard, while admitting the possibility of internal
strife as a factor, admonishes us to place no credence IN such
a hope. The German people, he assures US, are yet loyal to
their government. The mutterings of discomfort may be lk-
ened unto the /. w. w. agitation in America. They do not
reflect, in Mr.. Gerard's opinion, the sentiment of the German
people as a whole. The Germans have been taught to believe,
and do believe, that they are in this war in defense of the prln-
ciple of selfpreservation.
Germany, says the former ambassador, has approximately
nine million available men for military service. -Four hum
dred thousand bows (some estimates place the number at eight
hundred thousand) are yearly becoming of military age. In
food supplies and munitions and men, Germany IS able to con
tinue the conflict for some years, according to the former am
bassador's view.
The successful termination Of the war on the part Of
America and its allies, therefore, would seem to depend upon
either Of two elements: first, the overturning OF German an-
tocracy by the German people themselves, and the consequent
ending Of the war through a treaty IN which the present Ger
man government would play but an insignificant part; OF, sec
ond, the overcoming of German arms through the application
cf overwhelming force on the part of the allies.
Nj. Gerard tells us, IN effect, that we need pin but faint
hope to the theory that Germany's internal troubles will force
q conclusion of the war.
And the defeat of Germany from a military standpoint,
he furthermore AYERS, may require a series of years, since
Germany's military strength has not been broken, nor has ltl
been materially weakened.
The American people need an awakening tonic. When
this war shall hare dragged along through 1918, as it possibly
may, and when 1919 shall have been ushered IN Withoutsa ter
mination DC hostilties, as it probably will be, as We view the
situation, we may begin to appreciate what the British and
French commissions told us last spring and what Nh. Gerard
has been emphasizing since his return from Berlin.
Hoping that the war will lend soon will not end #
The only safe and sane theory upon which America can con-
sistently proceed Isl that men and munitions must he transport
ed to France III sufficient numbers and quantities to break the
force Of German militarism.
A policy based upon any other course would be smcIdaLl
AS thoseSdirecting Americas part m the war well know. But
the war cannot be won by the national administration, nor by
the nations warriors, nor by both combined, without the ag-l
gressive cooperation of the American people with their
chosen leaders.
The American people have never yet failed III q greatl
emergency. and they are not going to- fail IN this Crisis. They
are slowly but surely swinging into line in support ct their
president iii the herculean task which hassbeen undertaken.
MR.. GERARD ECOPYRIGH
III vs. to be- regretted that James W. Gerard, forrner am
bassador tosthe court at Berlin, has chosen the copyrighted
route for unfolding his very important information concern
ing events preceding the entrance Of America snponSt heS wal
Gerard was . public official He8 secured the facts
NppSnssWtic his articles are based by reason Of his Official con
nsetlon With The governments of Tire United States and ter
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