The Mena weekly star., 1918-08-08
Tbe 05reat GHar
 c:nters jFtftb Dear

Today. August l, the great war enters its fifth, and let us hope, its last year.
 Few and least of all, the Germans, expected at the beginning that 1t would last so long and that 1t has done so is guaranty that Germany can never win.
 Yesterday closed the l4th day of the great allied drive and the Ger mans were still retreating and burn ing the towns in their rear indicat- ing that they intend to retreat still further, for as they move back they destroy everything behind them.
 The allies have recovered during these fourteen days a large part of the ground they had previously lost to the Germans since April 21, when their drive began. The fighting con- tinues to be very bitter and the losses must be very heavy on both sides, but much greater among the Germans. Our troops have borne a very con- spicuous part in this great fight and won the respect of the Germans.
 The fifth year finds Russia, the most powerful of the entente allies when the war began, entirely out of the fight, dismembered and disorgan- ized with Germany in control of some of these parts, and all of them bleed ing at her feet, and in all of them conditions almost as desperate as they we'll can be-
 Our government is trying to lend such aid to Russia as will set her on her feet again and thus thwart the manifest purpose of Germany in try ing to make a German vassal of that great empire.
 In Finland, only, have the Germans succeeded in securing willing submis- sion from the people, elsewhere thru out Russia the German exactions have been so great that the people distrust and hate them. Recently two German generals have been assassinated by the Russians.
 The allies are using their utmost ef- forts at the restoration of Russia; President Wilson taking the leading part. If this can be accomplished and that great people become fully aroused and get back into the fight, the overthrow of Germany, and the end of the war would be near at hand.
 On the other hand should Russia be finally lost to the allies and should that great people sink into state of apathy and slavery there could be no victory to us tho we were ever so vic- torious in the west. Russia must be saved and redeemed.
 As we enter the fifth year of war there is much for us to be proud of {; we have done much more than we had hoped to accomplish or than our AL lies had expected us to accomplish in a years time. We have done vastly more than the Germans would have thought possible The submarine threat that Germany hoped would bring England to her knees within a few short weeks has been overcome, if not removed and our navy growing like Jonah's gourd vine has succeeded in carrying an army of more than a million and quarter of men to France at loss of not more than 8 to every 10000 carried over and with this vast army now going over at the rate of 10000 per day there goes all sorts of supplies, foodstuffs and muni- tions for both our army and the AL lies.
 And while our soldiers have only begun to fight they have shown their mettle and that they are worthy sons of illustrious sires, who ere long will have forced, when sufi- cient number of them have gotten there, the battle front into the Kais- er's. realm even into the streets of Berlin.
 The American soldier solds the des- tiny of the world with it's civiliza- tion and christianity in his hands and they are worthy to settle and will rightly settle all in due time, it may be during this fifth year or it may be that one or even more years may be required but whatever time is needed it will be finally settled, let us hope soon.