The Washington herald., 1918-03-08

ACTION WAS
DISCOUNTED
Present Contingency Fore
seen by the Allies
Months Ago.

The collapse OF Rumania. like the
collapse Of Russia, is a contingency
alread2 foreseen and Il provided
against by the allies. II was part
of the discussions OF the Versail-
lev conference. Allied experts here
last hight insisted that there is nc
Immediate cause for pessimism In
the latest Teuton triumph over the
pitIfuIly small and pathetically iso-
lated. though most gallant. Of the
allies.
The situation Is thus summed up:
Germany, weeks and months ago,
reaped every Immediate advantage
she can hope for from her Eastern
triumphs. All OF these advantages
will not enable her TO break through
the allied line on the West.
Race for Supplies.
The war has now settled down
to a race-cAn the United States
build the ships to. bring into play
her vast resources in men and ma
terial before the Germans can or
ganize and develop their eastern
empire as q field Of supply?
In this race Germany is handi-
capped by the indigestible state of
the vast bite she has taken out of
Russia.
II is officially stated here that the
United States will recognize and
aid the drst government established
by the Russian people. There is
evidence that such a government is
in formation.
II is predicted in allied military
quarters that the next Teuton drive
will be aimed at Saloniki. Its pur-
pose will be to clear the Eastern
Mediterranean for operations from
the Black Sea to Constantinople.
The Teutons have long since re-
moved from the eastern front every
piece of their heavy artillery. II has
been Identified both in France and
in Italy.
Recent captures of Germans on the
western front. notably those made last
week by the Americans. reveal that
Germany has already we'll combed her
eastern forces for men who can stand
with the electives she is now using
on the western battle line. The United
States general staff weeks ago made
public the method by which Germany
moved hundreds of thousands OF these
men in violation OF the Russian truce
then existing by giving them furloughs
TO their German homes and then Or
dering them to duty on the west.
Russian Chaos Continues.
No permanent Russian government
establishment is visible on the hori-
zOn- But Ambassador Francis. ad-
vices to the State Department yester-
day show. has established himself
at Vologda- As long as he remains
in Russia the situation is not inter
peted here as hopeless. The depart
ment had no confirmation of his re-
ported plea to the Rumania people
IL is stated. however. that he has a
free hand in dealing with the situa-
tiOn.
The British. French and Italian
envoys. the department learns, have
safely reached Swedish territory
through Finland.
Little Importance is attached to the
news from Hardin, Manchuria. that
Prince Lvoff, first premier OF Russia
under the revolutionary government.
has proclaimed a new government
with Jurisdiction over all the Rus
s'ias- Hardin Is several hundred miles
from the nearest Siberian border. 1t
has a large Russian population. cos
isting of maIcontents over whom the
Ghinese authorities have had to hold
. strong hand. Prince Lvoff's action
j . compared to the brave words which
evolutionary juntas sometimes utter
"a New York when the scene of their
revolution is thousands Of miles away.