The Washington herald., 1918-03-22
Waiting.


The riddle of the Western front remains
solved. Russia remains an enigma and closed
book. The exact role that 1918 will play in deter
mining the fortunes of the war
nebulous and less capable of definition than it is
today.
The allied world is waiting for the Germans
to attack in France and Flanders Yet the Boche
does not attack. 1t is waiting to grasp the exact
scope of German purpose in Russia. No "cear.
dry light" this subject has yet come; all
have half lights, hazy shafts.
Likewise Germany is waiting to know whether
her policy in Russia is the road to power or the
road to disaster. There be little doubt
that this polcy-involving the occupation of Odessa
and Petrograd, the penetration of the buffer prov
inces" and beyond-was improvised by the Junkers
and the militarists answer to the growing
Liberal agitation in Germany, as the unequivocal
answer to the doubts that they were losing their
grip the situation. 1t commits Viii
helmstrasse to conquest 1t tears the mask off
deliberately reared but false-bottomed structure of
mendacious diplomacy. 1t has robbed German lust
for conquest OF its last lair OF conceament More
than that, it commits Germany to the occupation
OF the territories she is seizing. There
be, for her, no turning back" No matter what
the pressure for troops other fronts may be-
retreat in the East would be disastrous morale,
not to mention its other implications. Germany
has embarked upon a new and risky experiment
in penetration in invasion OF the empire which
has always boastcd OF the Nemesis with which it
enycoped invaders. She can modify
retreat from that experiment now than she can will
end to the war; matter what elaborate
chinery OF men and material and energy it requires
hold what she has gained.
Before she can strike in the West, she must
know about Russia than she knows She
must know whether the Russians going TO
start a guerrilla back-hre her armies; whether
the revolution is to die natural DEATH whether
the ilamc OF revolt is to be famed by the action
she has taken: whether she has bitten off
than she chew" a. whether the whole Russian
scheme is TO go through without hitch. The
trepiditon and apprehension which the German
foreign office holds this subject is difficult
to behold. 1t is patent in the speech OF Won
Hcrtling before the Rcichstag. 1t is in scores
OF editorials and dissertations by her professors
and pundits tho present state OF the
The allies also must know more about Russia
than they know They anxious for at
tack from Germany on the Western front, conf
dent OF their ability TO repeal it. Certain facts
known beyond disputation: That the enemy has
piled up a mass OF guns supplies and equipment
in the West, augmented their armies a strength
which forecasts projected attack Some experts
hold the theory that German strategy in the West
consistently will remain defensive, that the increase
OF her strength there either is blind or her real
purposes assurance that d possible Franco
British offensive will get nowhere.
But the forces both sides arc held in leash
while Russia has the center of the stage. Clearly
the Bolsheviki not so lar out OF it their
enemies would have them. Nor has the revolution
lost its valid claim for the support OF the dem
ocracies of the world. Germany literally has been
forced by the desperate posture OF her own cir
cumstanccs to act as hammer and not anvil in
at least one theater OF the Mere waiting and
suspense while the elemental glacicrlike forces Of
human destiny pcnt mp in the Russian revolutionary
ferment travelled westward impossible pol
icy. Germany had to act, and she has acted in a
way which forces her hand. Every day shows
more clearly the risks and dangers that beset her
path. 1t is not impossible that in another six
months will be calling the Teuton invasion of
In the meantime the in the West waits.
Perhaps it will find its climacteric hour in IoIo
when America at last will be in shape to say some
thing about the determination of issues on that
front.