Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-03-13
WILL DECIDE WAR ON OCEAN

The falling down of the Russians and the overrunnlng
of their country by the Germans will have a tendency TO
prolong the war, and will undoubtedly do SO, since 1t VIII
serve TO hearten the German people and brace them up
ia still further sacrifices in helping the kaiser retain for
short time longer his power. 1t Will to a small extent re-
lieve the food shortage among the Teuton allies, but not
to SO great an extent as most suppose, for the reason tnat
the Russian peasants last year were SO intent on enjoying
their new found freedom that they forgot to plant their
fields as usual. and in consequence there is a shortage OF
f~oodstuffs in Rumania and Russia that will place even the
Russians on short rations. OF course the Germans will
see to it that it is the Russian rather than the German
who goes hungry, but even with this there VIII SUN De a
shortage of food, for another year. The German can ac-
complish nothing in the way of winning the war by any
thino he NAV do east Of him. There is a limit to ms ad-
vance in that direction, for lack of transportation II
nothing else would draw the limit to when ne cared go
even had he the man power, which he hasn't. Inc wise
old Won Tirpitz knew what he was talking ABOUT Wneh
he advocated submarine ruthlessness and so dd Won
Hindenburg when he said: "neurals be damned; WIN the
war" Each Of them knew at the time this discussion was
up that the war would be settled on the Atlantic and not IN
Europe. The situation is the same yet, and When peace
comes it will be because the submarine war has falled OF
because it has won. When Germany is convinced tnaC
her submarines cannot possibly wln--When the anleS
demonstrate they can build ships faster than the U-ooaES
can destroy; when fleets Of d~estroyers or new methods
drive the submarines from their haunts Germany VIII De
ready to talk peace and a peace that can be discussed IN
stead Of the camoufage she and her ally held out as the
real thing, to the ~benighted Russians. When the com
merce of the world is freed from the danger OF the SUB
marine, all hope for Germany will be gone. At the best
she can have only a peoples on her eastern borders VINO
are Quiet and submissive only as they are awed by SUPER
Tor force, and who will turn against her at the first
opportunity. Her man power is steadily weakening ana
with the ocean free to America to send men and supplies
to Europe there can be but one end. 1t is claimed that
with the increasing fleets of destroyers and improved
methods of attacking U-boats that the menace is steadily
decreasing and that the Germans are unable TO increase
their submarine fleet. At the same time the German boast
of starving England in a few months has proven tallacl
Gus and instead of starving her it IS shown by port status
tics that Englands commerce has increased signify
within the past year. 1t is a question OF the United
States being able to supply the allies and maintain her
own armies in Europe; consequently the winning OF the
war depends now on the ~shipyards IF America. 1t is not
a question Of men, OF money or of munitions, but OF ships,
for that means supplies. For these reasons 1t is idle to
speculate as to what the Germans may do on the eastern
front. for whatever it is it will not affect the results other
than perhaps to delay the end. There are no vital spots
in the east at which the Germans may strike. They can
not even send troops to aid the hard pressed Turks IN
Mesopotamia. The end of the war will be reached
through the barred zone along the French and English
coast not on the eastern front. L
President Wilson sent a message OF friendship to the
Russian soviet at Moscow yesterday. He told them
America was Russia's friend and was ready at any time
to help her regain her place among the nations. While it
is not likely the soviet viii do less than ratify the German
made peace terms, it is quite probable the leaders of the
Russians, the real leaders, will remember and in time
profit by Americas promise.
A thief at Wallace, Idaho stole $4,000 worth of
diamonds from a jewellery store. He is likely to get into
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