Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1918-01-25
(By Staff Correspondent to Chicago

cial. )-Senator McCumler of North
Dakota drew pessimistic picture of
allied war prospects in senate speech
today.
] Admitting that he was enshrouding
conditions with gloom, the North Da-
kota senator declared, among other
things:
That the United States should have
100000 fighting men on European
battlefields today to combat tie forces
of the central powers, and needs, alto
gether, an army OF 10000 600 men.
That this government should stop
Dragging about it's prowess and re-
sources, which, he said, were sur
passed by the proves and resources
of the enemy.
| That the cetnral empires had devel-
oped inventions which were slowly
winning the war while the United
States did not take advantage Of in
ventive genius properly.
That "God possibly knows where
the shipping needed to win the war
| is coming from. the shipping board
and navy department. being in ignor-
ance of the prospect. That the gov
erment and press have persistently
underestimate the strength of the
enemy and deceived the American
people.on the subject.
| That the allies now need our food
a Thousand times more than our sol
diers.
II get tired of hearing people say
that Germany cannot win with the
world against her. Such statements
show dense Ignorance Of real proper
tions. The world is not against the
central powers, and the greater part
of the world connot even get within
striking distance of her. Instead of
the world being against Germany on
the battle line she and her allies are
vastly superior in territory, in popula-
ton, and in resources, while there
geographical situation gives them a
Thousand advantages over their OPP
ponents. Isn't it about time that
we stop our talk about the collapse Of
the central powers for the lack OF food?
The truth is the central powers are
better supplied with food than any
other European belligerent power.
Great Britain is suffering far more
than any other country, is complain
ing less, and, for the most part fight
| ing harder.
mot foot of the territory of the
great central powers has been devas-
tated or is under enemy control. Their
industries, untouched by the hand of
devastation and organized as those of
no other country in the WorlI, are
sending their steady flow of equip
ment to maintain those vast armies.
The central powers have about
reached their limit. It is up to us to
lupply the deficiency.
Russia and Roumania are out Of
the war. Italy is losing ground.
France is unable to make any head
way. The wall of opposition at the
eastern end of the battle line in conti-
mental Europe is crumbling. Who can
say how long Italy can or will with
stand the Teutonic pressure? With
Italy under the heel of the conqueror,
with France assaulted in the flank, who
can prophesy that that country will
not be quickly brought under the heel
of the same conqueror and England's
army left to battle against overwhelm-
ing numbers?
'sYou may say that this is paint
ing gloomy picture. This is delin-
eating two things: First, the exact
situation as it now is, and second, the
possibilities of the future. and it is
preseate with the hope that we will
at least partially awaken to a realiza-
tion of what is before us.
"Our allies informed us that the
very day of our entry into the strug-
gle that what they most needed was
ships. They were more important to
them than men; that they must have
food, and coal and ammunitian.
1--WE appointed a Kilkenny shipping
board and then we went to sleep, and
as this board wakens to the chimes of
the new year it says that it hopes to
produce of new shipping 100000
gross tons. Was ever a promise more
glibly made /? Was ever a promise
more disgracefully broken?
"What, then is the real shipping
situation of today? 1t is an ugly pic
ture admit. But we must look it
squarely in the face, and, once recog-
nizing it's proportions, we shall cease