New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-09
Incurable Folly

man Empire. We are to-day, then, ar
rived at the thirty-third day Of war. Now,
what in that period has the United States
achieved in the way of preparation, absO-
lutely and comparatively?
lie. US take a standard of measurement.
August 4. 1914, the day when the British
government declared itself in state OF
war with Germany, may be accepted as
the day Of the beginning Of the world war;
Tbirty-three days later would be Septem-
bar 6, and September is the first day OF
the Battle Of the Marine.
Before this day Germany had modified
1900, 900 soldiers, had invaded Belgium
swept down through Northern France,
won the battles of Charleroi, Morhange,
Mons, virton, Neufchateau, lie Cateau'
had been defeated before Nancy, after
DESPERATE battle, and was preparing 70
attack that city again. The army Of kluck
had passed Paris and was many miles TO
the southeast.
In the same time Belgium had put a
Hundred thousand men in the field, lost
1;ac. and Namur, retired TO Antwerp and
made q sally from Antwerp toward Lou
vain. Her army had fought numerous
engagements and had been actually in the
field since August 6.
Great Britain had modified her great
feet. had transported an army larger
than our whole available field force across
N. Channel. that army had fought two
n;tched battles, retreated more than hun
dred miles and was at the point OF begin
ming an attack upon the Germans south OF
Coulommiers.
France had modified more than MILL
ion men, suffered many severe defeats
and was just at the point Of launching
that great final counter offensive which
won the Battle Of the Marine and saved
Europe and civilization from German bar
barism.
Now, all this had happened within the
time measured by our own entrance into
the war. What, in this time, have we
done? Does any one know? Congress has
considered the CONSUMPTION bill, and the
two houses are still deadlocked over Its
provisions at the end of the first month OF
war. The Naval Advisory Board has IN
formed the country that it has solved the
submarine menace with pencil and a
sheet of paper and then revised It's Judg-
ment and asked leave to report again, in
the future. BY the volunteering system
the army has raised $4,000 men, the
navy 10000.
The General Staff has considered the
project Of sending an army to France and
decided to send nine regiments of engi-
neers when and if they can be raised.
One gun crew Of an American armed mer-
chairman reports that it has sunk Ger
man submarine; and German submarines
have sunk two American merchantmen.
Now, laying aside what has been done
! by Congress in the way of making a2pro-
j priations and loans and other dispositions
Y of money that could be attended to by
resolution, here is an interesting measure
Of the chief accomplishments of month
of war.
This does not pay proper regard to
the number Of committees of every sort in
every community which have met, drafted
resolutions, elected officers, adopted con-
stitutions and prepared for further meet
ings; it does not include the efforts of
thousands Of women who have made mill
ions of bandages and contributed other
equally useful things made by hand.
But il does measure in very real fash
ion the extent of actual progress that has
been made SO far in the period within
which Europe modified and fought the
decisive battle of the war. 1t does supply
q measure Of the faulty that still holds
sway in this country.
And in these last thirty-three days the
truth Of the European situation has been
brought home to this country. We know
that Germany is not beaten; we know
that, thanks to the submarine arm, she
msy not be beaten at all. We know that
she may be able TO force her present foes