The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-08-08

Everybody knows how CALAMITY
the Americans fought. They fought
with trained skill which no one had
right to expect. Their officers
showed a skilled knowledge in the
management Of the men under trying
conditions which one could hardly ex
pect from men who had not had a
years experience in war.
Another element of success was
the united command which was
achieved only after long struggle.
There is no generalissimo in the
strict sense of the word. What has
been achieved was a unity Of strate.
gic command which has answered
every purpose, as the Germans know
to their cost.
From the moment Marshal Foch
achieved strategic command the for.
tunes Of the allied armies were re.
stored. There have been mishaps.
but the mastery handling Of the re-
serves has baffled the German effort
and ended in their retreat from the
Marine. 1t is too early to say that the
German effort is exhausted. They
still have powerful forces in reserve
but 1t is not too early to say that
their chances of March q will not
come again.
Americas New Army Equals the Best
America already has a powerful
large army in France-the equal of
the best troops. 1t is growing every
day and there will be no break in the
Increase of that army until America
has an army not far short, If at all
inferior in numbers, to the German
army itself.
Germany never again can main.
tain the same number of divisions
hat she has. She is now begging
Tor Austrian support. The German
people and their allies are beginning
o be disillusioned. In March Ger.
many was promising great things
md the peace tentacles from her
allies were withdrawn. That prom.
Sc has failed. The German harvest
s short. Militarily the Germans
lave passed the height Of their DOW.
'r. Rususia, moreover, has become
clog to the feet of Germany.
As to Russia
The idea that Great Britain is |,
lcting hostilely towards the democra-
&c government of Russia has nothing
n common with fact. 1t is always |
'ur policy to deal with de facto gov
but it is impossible to de. i
ide or ascertain from day to day
What the government is of single
'illage in the vast territory of Rus.
la.
I'VE have not the slightest desire
interfere with the Russian people Ii
nd certainly no intention of impos. 10
ng on them any particular form of
overnment. But when we see Ger. 8
lany using her authority over large It
racts of Russia and exploiting them {
the detriment Of the allies and I
gainst the will of the people them. /
elves, we feel at any rate that the 7
.ussian people ought to be free to {
ecide for themselves.
THE Russian people resented the
Interference of Germany and they are
lore and more seeking allied help. =
'e will not hesitate to give it to t
lem wherever possible. :
The Czecho.Slovak movement is a 9
one. The only desire of e
le Czecho-Slovaks is to leave Rus. g
a and come west to fight for the
lies. They desire to take not part /,
Russian politics. All they wish
to get away, and. they have asked +,
for ships. We have arranged to "
the best we can for them but we
q not exploiting this Czecho. Sloyak n
lsiness to interfere in internal Rus. :,
an affairs.
I'VE took ships from very impor-
mt essential work elsewhere in or. a.
II to send them to Vladivostok for g,
9 purpose of the Czecho- Slovaks. a,
citing undoubtedly under German n,
Iress, the Bolsheviki government q,
fused to allow them to get through
Archangel and Vladivostok. II h,
e Czecho-Slovaks now are the cen. o,
r OF activities hostile to the Boil. d,
evik government the latter have y,
ly themselves to blame and nobody Ii,
Sc. The Czecho-S lovaks are anx. w
is to get away and it is impossible M
blame them for getting assistance ar