The Washington herald., 1917-05-14
What Leading Newspapers
Say on the War Situation
Two sides OF the triangle.
tPhiladelphia Pubic LedTer.l

Philadelphia Pubic Ledser)
Whatever and wherever the German
reserve forces may be, It is tolerabiy
clear that the battle on the western
front Is defensive one for Germany.
even such desperate tactics as the use OF
isn al Bullcourt; while the French are
making gains all the way south of Laon.
Al the same time the allies are necessar-
hy sunertng heavy losses, and a decisive
victory in the field still seems far away.
An offensive Is always more difficult
than defensive. and every advance en-
tails enormous sacrifices of men. For
this reason 1t might be better for the
present merely to hold the Germans In
cneck. The paralysis which has over
taken the Russians on the eastern front
mas relieved the Germans, for the pres
ent at least of one anxiety. Until there
Is some real danger there, they have only
10 hold their lines and exert all their
energy against the British and French.
Russia, in fact, Is now the weak point in
the allied campaign. That is one reason
the western front Is so much desired.
Both their physical and their moral as
sistance would be of the greatest value.
The sudden allied offensive on the
Macedonian front, II 1t Is successful, will
counteract TO considerable extent the
enect OF the Russian apathy. Gen. Ser
rails troops appear to be moving for
ward in the face of great natural OBJ
stacles. The menace to the Bulgarian
Turkish-Austrian line will have to be
met by re-enforcements, and these must
presumably be withdrawn from reserves
which otherwise would be employed on
the western front. In other words, Ger
many has two sides of the triangle to
defend with all her resources. II the
third or Russian side were equally threat
ening, 1t might be fairly said that the
war had entered upon its last stage.
This would more than ever leave the
submarine campaign the last hope. Thus
the war on land and the war on sea are
so closely related that the destruction of
the power of the submarine remains the
vital consideration. II this Is accom-
plished' the destruction Of German mill
tary power must be only a question of
time.
Accept the Bill, Roosevelt and All.
New York Timesl
The administration cannot be held
blameless for the wrangle that has post
poned the enactment of the army bill.
II must have had accurate knowledge of
the real temper of the House OF Repre-
sentatives In the matter OF the proposed
Roosevelt divisions OF volunteers. In all
the wasted days of the conference it has
exerted no influence to expedite the en-
actment Of the bill. That the Senate
favors the acceptance Of Mr.. RooseveIts
plan, that II has been growing in favor.
daily throughout the country while the
members Of the conference committee
have been wasting valuable time, are in
disputable facts. After H5 members of
the House OF Representatives have voted
to reject the conference report because
the Roosevelt amendment. previously re-
jected by the House under administra-
tion pressure, had been eliminated, It is
obvious that the administration has
failed.
Immediate enactment of the army law
Is imperative. The registration for the
selective draft must proceed. The army
must be reorganized according to the
plan set forth in that law. Therefore the
only thing to be done now is to accept
the Roosevelt amendment and allow the
eN-President to proceed with the prom
ised organization of his force OF men
who are not liable TO the draft 1t has
seemed to us that the Coloneps ambition
to serve his country was a matter apart
from the general reorganization Of the
army. We have held that his plan should
be the subject of a separate bill. But II
Congress, representing the people, in
sists upon making the plan a part of the
bill. Congress is acting within its rights.
and the amendment which has caused so
much trouble and delay will have to be
retained. Obstinacy is not firmness. An
obstinate stand in Washington now
against the army bill in the form Con-
gress desires 1t to take would cause a
longer delay and greatly increase the
national peril.
Sharing the Cost.
tChristian Science Monitor
nd ha nf
tered into at Washington on Wednesday,
baby bonds. of the denomination Of $50,
are to be issued by the government, so
that even the smallest investors may
participate in the great war loan. Doubt
less all the banks, small and large, all
the trust companies. and many private
financial houses, will act as voluntary
agencies for the sale of these and OF war
bonds Of higher denomination. But, in
any event, any person desirous OF invest
ing in a $50 bond may do so by applying
to the United States Treasury Depart
ment before June Is, 1917 The applica-
ton must be accompanied by 81; 50 must
be paid on June 2S, 80 on July 80 SIS on
August Is. and $15. with accrued interest
on all deferred payments, on August 80,
when the bond will be delivered to the
purchaser.
Now, this great war-loan transaction
is not altogether commercial There is,
and 1t is quite proper that there should
| be, large measure of sentiment in 1t.
For example, on the one side, it would
be a good deal more convenient to the
government to issue bonds of large
rather than small denomination, in large
| rather than small allotments. 1t will
/ cost something in time and money to
meet the clerical expense incident to the
$50 issue, and II will also cost something
In time and money to meet the clerical
expense incident to the inauguration
and maintenance of the easy-payment
system. On the other hand. there will
be tens OF thousands of investors in these
bonds who could command a higher rate
of interest on their savings, than the
government is willing to pay. On both
hands, however there is something more
/ than the business phase of the transac-
tion to be taken into account. That the
great war loan is reaching the people
| through the medium of the low-prtced
bonds and the installment payment plan
will be of incalculable moral value. for.
to the extent of their Investments in
these securities, will the citizens of the
| United States be both borrowers and
! lenders. They viii really borrow from
| themselves. lend to themselves. pay in
terest to themselves, draw interest from
themselves. They themselves constitute
the security upon which the bonds are
issued. The loan is theirs. just as the