Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-29
MOST FEARFUL YEARS
IN HISTORY CLOSING
of Germany's War Declaration
Against Russia.
HUMAN WOE INCALCULABLE
Six Millions Killed of Forty Millions
Fighting War Costs Nearly
100000, 900, OOO-No Corner Of
World Unscarred by Wasteful Fire.

NEW YORK, July 2S.-The three
most awful years In the worlds his
tory are drawing to a close.
Three years ago next Wednesday,
August !. Germany declared war on
Russia. precipitating a conflict which
has killed 100000 soldiers and GER
tainly over 100000 civilians-per-
haps many more; cost directly between
seventy-hve and a hundred billion dol
lars, and piled UP a sum in human woe
entirely incalculable and incomprehen
sible.
Not a corner of the earth has been
| too remote to feel the effect of the
40,000.o00 or more men who have gone
forth to war. Not an intelligent being
but has been stirred to his depths by
the dreadful. wasteful fire that has
scourged the globe
From a petty Balkan quarrel. result
ing in the seizure of Bosnia and Her
zegovina by Austria and in the as
sassination of the heir to the throne
of the dual monarchy and his consort
by resentful Jugo-Slavs. the conflagra-
ton has spread to every continent and
every lard. Most of the world is di-
rectly involved in war, and in the nom
belligerent countries questions stirred
up by the conflict are the subject of
intense and constant domestic differ
ences.
What changes ION the map" the
war will make still await the great
peace conference to be told: but already
human society has been altered with
such swiftness as can scarcely he
parallelcd even in he era of the French
Revolution.
Russia has changed from the great
est example of an absolute and bur
densome artccracy to the worlds
freest and most liberal democracy. with
its eyes set on ideals as high as the
stars.
The people rule In Russia after cen
turtles of oppression and in many other
nations the bonds forged by birth and
privilege are giving way.
Germany has It's first imperial Chan
cellor without a won" to his name
small. uncertain step toward democ.
racy yet ray Of hope The Junkers
and the militarists are still in the sad
die. but their faithful, carefully
nourished slaves for the first time have
them worried.
In every country the Importance of
government has increased. The central
authority has had to take over powers
u never possessed or wished before.
The peoples are thinking more about
their governments. selfish thoughts
perhaps. for their leaders mean more
to them than formerly
THOUSANDS OF PLANTS
OPERATED by GOVERNMENT
The British government has taken
over thousands of great industrial
plants TO run on war work, while SINH
lar changes of revolutionary character
have taken place in France, Italy and
Germany. Even the United States has
Communicated all the shipyards for the
purpose Of speeding them up. and will
undoubtedly take over more and more
lines OF production as the conflict
wears on.
Through the vast pressure OF war
business. woman's place In the COM
munity everywhere has Increased in
Importance. The wives and sweethearts
must labor while their men are on the
field OF battle. And this prominence of
the fair sex has resulted in the promise
of equal suffrage to women In Great
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