Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-10-16
This Is Not Victory

THE achievements OF tho allied armies i'll
France, not only since July 16. but since
March 81, have been superb. They have
fought with courage and determination
unsurpassed in history For nearly four
months they were the defensive. They
were mcrcilcssly battered by the most power
full army the most powerful military nation
in the world could mobilize. They we're
forced back again and again, but they did
not lose spirit. They did not throw up their
hands They did not give anything to the
enemy All Germany gained was sold to
her ut sickening price.
Then came the counteroffcnsivc For al
most three months the French. British Amer
cans. Italians and Belgians have been forg-
ing forward They have been hitting blow
upon blow. They have taken more than
100000 prisoners, and it is estimated by
military authorities that the casualties in
hictcd upon the German armies will exceed
l,OoO,OOO. They have taken practically every
square mile of terrain overrun by the Ger
mans in their March offensive They have
wiped out salients that protruded like dag
gers into the heart of France They have
smashed the Hindenburg defensive line prob
ably the most formidable system of earth
works 'n- world ever saw. and now they
arc breaking the kriemhille line, the new
refuge OF the retreating enemy.
The success of the allied fighting has been
consummate in It's strategy and in its cxecu-
ton The German forces have been beaten
back from Vcrdun to the sea, and are now
Slowly and sullenly withdraw wing toward their
own frontier They are bruised and bleed
ing, and ii may DO assumed that they arc
dishcartcned, if not hopeless. 1t. is certain
that they have been defeated first in the
execution Of their own campaign. and. second.
IN their failure to make stand against the
counterdriving allies.
But this is not victory The enemy army
has not been crushed 1t has not surren-
lered. 1t has not been broken to pieces
IT still fights. and fights with an energy born
or desperation. IL still eNacts its toll OF the
assaulting forces. 1t has been driven from
cover to cover. bat each time it turns upon
its pursucrs. 1t remains defiant, and is dan
gerous i'll that defiance. Many thousands of
It's troops seem eager TO be captured, but
many hundreds Of thousands are still will
ing TO fight TO the death
As long this condition is to be faced,
the allies cannot and dare not assume that
'hey are victorious. They are not Germany's
conqueror. They have not overcome the mil
i,ary machine that stands rs "A barrier TO a
triumphant peace. The war must go on
This army must be destroyed. 1t must not
be left intact. 1t must not be allowed to re-
treat even TO its own frontier to reorganize
ana re-equip itself for another onslaught
The commanders OF the allied armies have
no decisions regarding the military situation.
They know that they have dealt a terrific
blow 10 the enemy armies, but they also
KNOW that they must fight on, ticelessly and
relcnuefsly. Only the peoples far removed
from the battle line are deceived regarding
the state of the war. They are inclined TO
relax and TO assume that the job has been
finished, a circumstance so unfortunate as
TO cndanger seriously the outcome OF the
whole war.