Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-09-02
EXPECTS END OF WAR
|NNEXT HUNDRED DAYS
Editor of John Bull" Tells Hi.
Readers to BE Stout
OF Heart.
VICTORY BEoKoNs TO vALol.
Has Full Confidence in Grand Le-
gfons OF Libcrty-Final Onslaught
OF Huns Forcdoomed to CHASTITY
faiiure-Peace in Sig. t.
BY HORATIo BOrrTOMLEY.
Editor OF Juhn Hull.

BY HoRATIO BOTTOMLEY,
Editor of Juhn Hull.
NO, I'm not breaking out again IN
prophecy. For ausht 1 know, the war
may go on forever and cver-as. In.
"eed, some of my friends doubtless
III the first stages of Spanish inf1u-
ehzao tell me it will. What, how
ever am going to say Is that the
"eNt 100 days. must decide the war
whether 1t ends It or not.
I'm not going to wax historical over
the latest news from tho western from
IL may be that the Germans have shot
their bolt there. and that roch has
taken up the offensive. On the other
hand' II may be part of the enemy
strategy to lie low and lure US on. 7
oont Know, and. not knowing. can't
say. JBut do feel 1t in my bones
'hat. at last. we have reached the de-
Gliding period-the next 100 days.
There are periods in history when
events crowded within the space Of
weeks eclipse the annals of a century.
and 1t Is my firm belief that before
the end OF the present campaigning
season-that Is in the next 100 DAYS
or so-we shall witness the passing
OF the greatest crisis in humanity's
HeSed career. There arc not wanting
signs that the enemy is mastering his
energies for masterstroke which,
when delivered. may be decisive OF his
fate and OF ours. Assurcdly, we are
on the brink Of colossal developments
and with all my heart I plead that
until the decision Is reached. the war,
the whole war, and nothing but the
war, shall be the object of national
attention. Let nothing distract US
from the supreme Issue. Let minor
problems wait. Above 'all. let there
be no thought or talk of peace or
parley at the moment when victory
beckons TO valor across the wastes OF
war.
ENEMY HAS WITNESSED
FAILURE OF FONDEST HOPES
AT this fateful moment we havo
every reason for high confidence. 1t
lis the baffied Hun who should de-
spair. In the past three months the
enemy has witnessed the tragic fall
ure OF his fondest hopes. One after
the other his Erandiose schemes OF
conquest have collapsed in red rum:
and to-day, after successive attacks,
unparalleled in ferocity and wanton
sacrifice of life, he is far Off as ever
from the attainment OF his true OBJ
jectives. This. after all, is the salient
fact of the situation, which the spe-
cious rhetoric of Herr Won kuehI Imam
can never explain away. Such gains
of ground as the enemy has achieved
by dint Of furious effort and ruinous
sacrifice are in slender proportion to
the bitter price paid for them, and in
no single instance has his strategy
accomplished its cardinal designs.
For three months and more the SER
ried legions of Prussia have pressed
forward towards the gates Of Paris,
and still that proud citadel Of France
smiles at the fierce envy of her foes
In front of Amiens the tide of inva-
sion Is rolled back. while the mastery
strategy of Generalissimo Foch defeats
every effort to divide the allied hosts
or TO sever the unity of the French
and British commands. To the north.
again the enemy is thwnrted and held
The channel ports are safe. The Hun
is as far from Calais and Boulogne as
when first his mad lust Of conquest
lured him towards the sea.
d
ing facts and remember the bluff and
bombast with which the great German
offensive was heralded. Paris In a
fortnight! Calais in three weeks!
Amiens for the taking. Peace by the
autumn!-these were the idle promises
with which the German soldiery was
urged on to certain death and the sui
len fears of the populace lulled into
acquiescence. Never were the pledges
OF statesmen less honorably fulfilled.
Even as they spoke. the bragGarts or
Berlin must have known that they lied
in their throats.
But in all likelihood the next 100
days Will witness last despaIrfng
effort of the Huns to pierce the living
| line of the allies and to salve some
I remnant OF their ruined hopes. The
/ iron logic OF necessity leaves them no
option but to hazard all upon a final
! threw. How else can they hope TO
/ justify themselves in the eyes of their
| deluded people? How else can Won
Kuehlmann honor his own speeches. or
Count HertlinE redeem the frantic
toasts with which he has tempted for
tune? 1t ia now or never. Already
| the days are shortening. Three months
more and the dark winter will be in
siEht--a winter which, in the absence
Of relief will spell unspeakable misery
for the hungry millions Of the central
en- pires. Not much longer can the
masses OF the Fatherland. for all their
doslike subservience, be expected tc
tolerate the abortive promises and un-
redeemed pledges which for four weary
years have Knocked their misery.
Already. even In Germany. there are
Gigns of incipient revolt, while In Aus
tria-Hungary. as we have lately seen
staring resentment and racial animos-
ity threaten at any moment TO burst
into active revolution. For thest dis.
orders. whose gravity increases daily
there is only one remedy-peace; and
unless relief ia speedily Forthcoming
the slumbering resentment of those
20 w r 2,