Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1918-07-18

macy. nee the campaign is over, to
remove all chance of such defeat 10y
negotiating a profitable peace, Il peace
which shall leave Germany the Il Jump
ing off places for next time. Just as
the Napoleonic legend was invincible
until Napoleon had fought Waterloo, SO
the legend of the German army's nvin-
clbilitN will survive anything but II
defeat which canno be explained
away. And while the German army
maintains it's supremacy of the German
empire it will continue TO plan new at
tacks upon the world.
The Europe which existed before
August. 1914. has been swept away;
Russia is In AN upheaval which no man
can measure, but there is a Poland to
be made with almost as great ease as
Italy was made i'm the last century. Po-
land is the natural Slav sentinel along
the Nistula and for long centuries she
maintained that role heroically and
successfully. Serbia is the natural sem
tinel of the Balkans against invasion
coming out of Europe from the north
or out of Asia from the south. Ru-
mania and Serbia together can hold
the Danube barrier if only the Ru-
manian and Serbian races are united
within their w natural and racial
frontiers.
1t seems to me that the great dan
ger Will come when the campaign of
iVio - v III NeIIll.in ulDIOIlutS
undertakes to avoid the threat which
our own enormous army, for it will be
enormous by the campaign of 1919, will
have for the German army. And Ger
many's diplomacy will seek to turn to
account the war WEAKNESS of the whole
world, it will beyond all else drive at
French WEAKNESS and turn TO instant
account any new outburst of senti-
mental and purblind British pacifism.
But beyond all else Germany will seek
to capitalize American ignorance of
what have become the real issues of
the war, by seeking to make conces-
sions in questions once vital. still inn
portant, out no longer of first import
ance.
And ] believe it will in a consider
able measure depend upon Americas
attitude whether the German peace Of
fensive fails, as the defeat of the Ger
man war offensive depended i'm some
part on the speed With which we got
our new armies to France. We must
expect n reckon with the war weari-
ness of he masses of our allies; we
must be on u guard against weakness
that comes from wounds suffered in
brave resistance and in resistance
maintained almost beyond human en-
DURANGO. Our leadership. not perhaps in
IDEAS. but certainly in spirit. may be
the decisive factor in repulsing the
German peace offensive, and the Ger
man peace offensive must be repulsed
II the war is to end in making the
world safe for democracy or secure
against the German thing, however one
may characterize it.
If only the American public could be
brought to see the questions of Poland
and Serbia. of Rumania and of the
Bosporu as clearly as they see the
questions of Belgium. Alsace-Lorraine
and the Italian %Irredenta. the ailur
kO1 inc (Nprrnl n VoanNn nffovcixn 1,yn,,1| H1.
assured. If only the fact could be made
clear that Germany and Austria could
afford to e%vacuate Brussels and
Trieste. S~trassburg and Metz; if they
could hold Belgrade and Constantine
pie, Warsaw and Riga; that Germany
could we'll afford to lower her flag for
ever in South and Central Africa if
she could hold open the roads to Asia.
north and south-then the voice of
American public opinion would warn
American diplomacy against German
endeavors.
No ma understands the Russian
problem, and there is Il manifest readi-
ness on the part of the European ma
tions which have suffered most by rea-
son of Russia's desertion to abandon
the Russians to German fate with little
sympathy. The temptation is natural.
be enormous. On he other hand, no
man can suggest "A way in which to
insure Russian regeneration, no matter
what help be furnished. BY contrast
the reconstruction of Poland is not only
possible. but carries with it the hope
that behind the Polish barrier Russia
may regain her national health with
out fear of German domination.
AS it stands 5000, 900 Germans and
5000, 900 Magyars dominate popula-
lions OF other races as numerous or
even more numerous. and unless those
races are now freed the slavery may
be perpetual, and out of these enslaved
races Germany will construct new
armies. and in due course of time make
new attacks upon Europe. This is the
story OF Prussia. This is the history of
the Hohenzollerns; and as long as the
way is open and the iiumrn material is
at inand the Germans are bound to
Eeep ON in Their determination 10 re-
store the Roman world under German
control.
We arc winning the war on the bat
ltletield. Despite he dangers in the
immediate future. there is clear water
not too far ahead. SO far as the military
problems are concerned. But we are
Just entering the danger zone so far
as the peace offensive is concerned.
The German is preparing his new line
of attack n his new methods of COM
bat. We shall have every artitice in
his whole stock employed for the pre-
else purpose of binding US to the real
issues at stake ard keeping open the
roads to new expansions and the hopes
of new conquests. Ii we permit our.
eyes to be blinded. our wounds 10 weary
us. u mistaken conceptions Of Ger
mans or OF German ideas to deceive. us.
we shall have it all to do over again
and h German will win the war.
I 1t Is the duty OF the United States to
fight until Belgium is freed and France
~-l to1x .n; IAns, l<.x ..I 1T -,