The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1918-04-23
PREPARES FOR LONG
WAR WITH GERMANY
-,n oF POSSIBILITIES THIS YEAR
rs NOT EXPECTED BY THE
UNITED STATES.
POWER OF HUNS Is SEEN
IN The PRESENT OFFENSIVE
Contracts Let For Industries Which
Cannot Begin Production For a
Year. May Still Be Fighting Three
or Four Years Hence.


Year. May Still Be Fighting Three
~ Four Years Hence.
WASHINGTON, D. C.-The coun-
ny at large does not fully grasp the
extent to which Americas war prep
arations are reaching. The govern
ment is making ready for a long war.
There never has been an idea here
that 1918 would see the close of hos
tilities. There has been a distinct
feeling that this may be the deciding
year-deciding in the sense that it
will bring about closer unity among
the allies and arouse a greater deter
mnation than ever to fight the war
to successful conclusion, but there
is no thought that the end is in sight.
Quite the contrary.
Want Public Impressed.
Immense contracts have been let
by the government within the last
week for the building up of war in
dusrieswhich are not scheduled even
10 begin production until more than
a year from now. The officials in
Washington are anxious that these
facts shall be impressed upon the
public, The people must steel them
selves to d long war and must under
stand that in the closer government
CoUnsels, where the situation is fully
appreciated, plans are going ahead as
if there were every assurance in the
world that America must still be
fighting three or four years hence.
1t is not difficult to recall the
amazement with which the English
people heard the prediction of Lord
Kitchener in 1914 that the war sure
ly would last three years or more.
They were incredulous. And so it is
with Americans today. They dis
tinctly gained the impression that
with Americas entry into the field
Of battle the end would not be very
far off. Visitors to Washington have
brought this view with them from va
nOus parts of the country. But they
are taking back today, and will con-
tnue to take back, the impression
gained in Washington that America
Is Just beginning to fight and is pre-
pairing to carry on" for so long as
may be necessary.
Germany's Power Demonstrated.
If anything were needed to en-
phaSlze the necessity of preparing
Tor several years of war it was fur
nished the power of the German
offensive. The dominance of the mil
tary party in Germany, the strength
OF the German military machine, the
nghtng ability Of the German army
all have been brought home with a
force which should leave no doubt in
Ihe mind Of any thinking person as
10 the seriousness of the task that
caontronts the United States. If the
herman military power is to be bro
heh America must do it, and the I'M
9ertaklng is one which we'll may call
Ior plans that look some distance in
to the future.
1t IS no evidence of delay that the
government is just now letting con-
tracts for war plants which cannot
oe fnlshed for year or more. 1t is
instead an indication of a fuller
grasp of Just what the allies are ex-
ppectlng of the people of the United
SVdVeS. The plans of war six months
t now may make even those of
Today seem small in comparison. War
ever IS progressive. 1t calls always
iof more and more.