New Britain herald., 1918-04-20
Henry Cieus
Weekly Letter
Especial to the Herald

New York. April 2o.--Early war
news this week was not encouraging.
The German hosts brought unprece-
denied pressure upon the British army
on the Western 'front.' forcing it to
give considerable ground. in an effort
to sever the line and drive the British
back to the sea. Fortunately that
British line held and though badly
bent has not been broken Hope is
now rising owing to arrival of French
achievements; and the most critical
point since the war began is now
being faced. The destiny of the world
is at stake, and any day decisive re
suits may follow. At the same time
We must not deceive ourselves by
overconfidence. Let it be frankly ad
nitted that Germany has been i'm
mensely favored by the breakup Of
Russia, and the consequent release Of
large bodies of German soldiers, which
enabled Germany to draw freely upon
Russian labor and food supplies.
Should the enemy succeed in making
important gains in the present drive
it will mean nothing less than a
serious prolongation of the war. But
a final German victory is impossi BILE;
because the world and civilization
cannot and will not submit to German
ideals and domination. In any event
it will probably fall upon us to give
the finishing stroke without delay. It
is precisely this that Germany in
tensely fears; hence this hectic drive,
this supreme effort to VIM before
America gets in with all its might.
Our efforts to send men and munitions
must be backed up generously and
promptly with funds The Liberty
Loan must be heavily OverSubscribed
as q patriotic debt to our country to
the men at the front. and even on the
common basis Of intelligent self in
terest. Of late subscriptions have not
been coming in with sufficient prompt
ness. It is difficult to explain this
lethargy, which is probab bly, only tenn
porarv. The remainder of the cam
Saign must be pushed with growing
intensity, for success in the war de-
ponds upon successful financing Tt is
either "bonds or bondage.'
The war is proving a mighty CEN
tralizing force in government and in
dustry alike. The authority of gov
eminent has already expanded to a
degree scarcely realized except by
close obServerers or those actually a f.
fected. All of the belligerent coui-
tries, on both sides of this struggle
have in four short years plunged into
a degree of socialism far beyond
what the most daring idea list
dreamed before the war AS an ex-
pertinent in political and economic
theories the movement is likely to
prove highly instructive. The strong
undercurrent OF socialism in this coun-
try and IN Europe has already aroused
considerable opposition. The col
lapse of Russia was largely owing to
the disintegrating influence Of social
ism. Its sinister Influences in France
were early discovered and largely
eliminated As a binder together OF
nations, or q preventive of war, 1t
entirely failed in 1914. In Great
Britain there is already a reaction
against the socialistic drift and both
capital and labor are signing for
greater freedom in the mana cement
Of their own affairs Capital protests
against restrictions upon enterprise
while labor has no relish for restraint
upon its right to secure the most ia
| vOrable wages and working conditions
| Obtainable. Were it not for the exig-
! encies of war. there would be strong
| reaction in Great Britain against eN-
| cessive government control How
! far this would go. it is impossible tc
say. for some OF the huge industrial
I omelets created since the war could
! not be unscrambled in any event. The
| same is true here also. Socialism is
as strong as ever among the unedu-
! Gated classes: but labor is suspicion.
| Of a system OF vague and untriet
! PROMISES which destroy its freedom O
! CHOICE while capital SHES at the
! shadowy theories of an impossible
! Utopia War is furthermore creating
a series of dictators, not only in mill
tary affairs but in all branches Of In