Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-11-06

Failure to realize this fact does mol
indicate ability to vote intelligently
Suffragists should realize it in time tc
avoid placing in the hands OF their op
ponents weapon to oppose their nu
merous arguments.
FACE THE TRUTH.
Americans are not race Of COW
ards. Bad news does not defeat them
They can Withstand a shock, rally
from its temporary disquieting effects
and summon the strength and spiri,
! of their fighting ancestors to give back
blow for blow. But the feeling of ma
tional superiority and security which
they have had for so long must give
way to a consciousness of their mill
tary weakness and their terrible peri
before they can be welded intosa light
ing entity.
An apparent failure to realize this
vital fact is the most conspicuous
weakness Of the governments commit
tee on public information, which cen
sors news relating to the war before
it is given to the newspapers and the
public.
This committee, dominated by
George Creel, man who demonstrate
ed his inefficiency within two weeks
after his appointment, is making its
greatest error in trying to conceal
from the people of the United States
the bald truth that defeat threatens
this nation and all its allies and can
be avoided only by united. patriotic
unselfish action on the part OF every
American to the end that Americas
war forces shall win over Germany by
sheer strength.
The attitude of the committee Is IL
Illustrated by its childish efforts to
minimize the fact that Russia not only
has ceased to figure as fighting force
but has confessed defeat, disclaimed
responsibility and demanded that the
other nations at war with Germany as
sumo Russia's burdens with their own.
In an interview with the Associated
! Press yesterday Premier kerensky
J made this confession of failure. But
as soon as it was made public in VASE
ington it was followed by an Official
statement. designed to Offset the very
shock which the too complacent Amer
lea needed. A second statement called
particular attention to Premier Ker-
ensky's senseless declaration that
Russia is not out of the war, which the
premier himself contradicted by his
explicit confession Of failure and his
formal notice to the allies that they
must do Russia's fighting from now on.
These statements were worse than
misrepresentation. They were fran
tic and ill-advised attempts to prevent
the people of the United States from
realizing the condition which they
must realize to the full il Germany is
to be defeated. II is this:
Russia has been Z hopeless liability
to her allies since the moment korni.
loff's drive toward Lemberg was
turned into heIter.skelter, disgrace.
fui retreat. II did not need kerensky's
confession Of yesterday TO establish
that fact. Nor can any amount OF IN
founded optimism expressed in oticial
statements from Washington change
the situation.
America 10 the one nation In the
world which by any possibility can
give Russia the aid which kerensky
weakly demands. America can help
Russia only by dint Of extreme saeri-
flee and BY means Of absolute and I'm
mediate cooperation by all her hun
dred-odd millions Of people.
America must fight out the war In
the end with Germany, for the struo.
gle is certain to last several years and
ours 10 the only nation among all Ger
many's enemies which 10 capable Of
extended and effective warfare.
These are the facts which Amert
cans must get firmly implanted in
their minds. They must realize that
their government and their personal
safety are imperiled by the Prussian
monster In striving to prevent that
realization Of the present crisis the so
called committee on public informa-
ton is doing the greatest possible in
jury to the cause for which the gov
fighting.
The greatest handicap under which
this nation has been laboriug in the
seven months since we entered the
war lies in the absence of any idea in
the minds OF most Of the people that
Germany, Austria. Bulgaria and Tur.
key may defeat all the allies, including
the United States.
When two men or two nations or
two groups Of nations, engage in con-
flict. one Of them is going to be
whipped, and 1t often transpires that
the one expected to win is absolutely
routed. Too much confidence may
cause too much Of a lack of prepare
ton for the contest or fatal under.
estimation Of the opponents powere-
This country will not be started on
! the road toward winning the present
war until all its people come to full
realization that Il 10 possibie for Amer
lea to be defeated.
Allied troops captured a portion OF
the city Of Lens last April, but in si1
months Of fighting they have not been
| able to take more of it. The lines al
verdun have not moved mile in
eighteen months. Zebrugge and Os
tend are in German hands and prac
J tically as far from the battle front AZ
they were three months ago.
Germany is able to hold her western
lines far within her enemy's territory
and at the same time to send hundreds
| of thousands of soldiers into Italy.
This is not the view Of pessimism
| IL IN a recitation Of facts, II 10 an ef