The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1918-01-10


ALLOWING for a necessary army of
occupation, it is probable that if Rus
STA made a separate peace Germany
could bring 81 fresh divisions against
our front next spring." competent
authority told me. Admittedly the
United States cannot put so many
men into the line so sOon but those 81
divisions, if the worst comes to the
worst In the east, represent a goal
to be reached and passed by America
as soon as possible.
Must Arm Five Million Men.
When the United States has 81 di-
visions in the line the effect upon the
west front or of the collapse of Russia
in the east will have been overcome.
Each division in the line means at
least twice as many men in spots In
the rear and at home, ready to fill
the gaps. The experience of Eu-
ropean armies indicates that to main
tain a hundred divisions at the front
year, America must put under arms
not less than 100000 men.
more war seems appalling enough for
the United States; for the countries
in Europe, almost suicide. There is,
however, one hope, not lost sight of by
the men who most insist upon the ne
cessity for complete victory. Many
Of them believe that Germany will of
her own accord throw up the sponge
as soon as she realizes that the forces
against her, even with Russia knock
ed out, are so great that she faces
certain defeat.
eff, these men argue, the German
people see any hope of acquiring
controlling interest in Russia and the
east, and firing out the western al
lies, they will stand by their rulers
and hang on for year or even two
years more. But if America prepared
a hundred divisions and scores Of
thousands Of airplanes and evidences
an absolute determination to go
through to the finish, regardless of the
cost, the Germans are likely soon to
give up those dreams of world power
which rose so high at first, afterwards
sank, but have flared up since at each
new success, and cannot but burn
brighter than ever now that the dread
ed COLOSSUS of the East" lies pros
trate beneath the German sword.
Wilson Diplomacy Hailed.
Herein lies the value of Wilson d.
plomacy, which has raised the Amer
| lean president to pinnacle of esteem
enjoyed by no American in Europe
during his lifetime, and has made Will
son, a great liberal editor said to me
today, "the captain of the allies
| team"
Brute force by itself will prolong
the massacre for years; the pacifist de-
sire to patch up peace on almost any
| terms that will save the face of both
sides would lead to German world
mastery. The hope of the world lies
| in the Wilson system; the utmost pos
sible speed and efficiency in waging
war, coupled with a constant offer Of
peace to the German people on gener-
GUS terms if they will signify, by get
ting rid of their autocracy, that they
are willing to abandon the policy that
has drowned the world in blood.
Almost every politician and man of
affairs l know has come around to the
Wilson formula; and Of these men a
year ago, nine in every ten were abus-
ing the president in private If not
in public, more than any other living
statesman, excepting the kaiser. The
one fear remaining here is that the
United States will not realize, prompt
| ly enough, the earth-shaking implica
tons of the Russian debacle, will not
back up her diplomacy, which now adj
mittedly leads the forces of civiliza-
ton, by the overwhelming force neces-
sary to carry it into effect.
Germany Believes Draw Possible.
Before the Russian revolution, be-
fore the United States entered the war,
the belief was common that a draw
was the only possible outcome. Ger
many is trading on that belief today,
throwing out through a dozen neutral
channels the insidious suggestion.
"We are ready to call it draw, to.
give up all we have won in the west,
Belgium, even perhaps Alsace-Lor-
raine if you think your honor involved
in the fate of Serbia, we may even
restore Serbia, as for Russia, what
does that matter to you, since Russia
has betrayed your
The answer is that conditions have
changed since drawn war was pos
sible. A drawn war implied the con-
tinuance of the great Russian power in
the east as a counterbalance to Ger
many; when that power crashed to
the ground, Germany won the war, I'M
less she can be beaten in the west.
"What are Belgium and Alsace now"
snorted an allied ambassador. ''Mere
nothings, mere bagatelles, beside the
east that lies at the kaiser's feet"
The war cannot now end in q draw.
If Germany holds firm in the west, al
lows herself to be negotiated out of
the occupied territory, and comes out
with armies and the militariSt caste
intact, no country and no combination
of countries outside the Germanic
group will ever dare again to dispute
the orders of Berlin. All the rest of
us, moreover, must keep armed to the
teeth to protect ourselves against in
vaslon and destruction and those who
know the German people best and are
most sanguine that under defeat they
will set up democracy are most posi-