The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1918-01-17
NOTED MILITARY EXPERT.
REVIEWS PAST IL MONTHS
OF FIGHTING AND POLiTl-
CAL FACTORS ENGAGING
PELLIGERENTS.
BY FRANK Il. SIM0NDS.
Copyright 19t7-Tho Tribune Assn
(The New York Tribune).

what prospects do we begin the new
IL months, with what profits and bad
debts carried forward from the year
that has ended?
No man who has lived through the
last year could fail to realize that there
had been a marked change in the feel
ing OF all the peoples at war. The de
sire for peace has grown since this time
last year, when the allied nations were
flatly declining those German peace
proposals which were designed to give
Germany u victorious peace while she
was yet in a position TO realize on her
profits.
The year hat Is closing has seen the
p|ostponement, If not the final Danish
ment. OF many hODes, Of German hopes
quite as much as allied hopes. A year
& the allied nations, still, unaware
that the old regime in Russia a be-
trayed them and that the revolution,
was soon 10 remove Russia from the
battle line. could look forward 20 1917
as a victory year. The Germans, know
ing the Russian situation, could eXpect
that the coming Russian collapse would
leave the western allies no choice but
to make a Instantaneous peace.
The Russian collapse came, n with
It the allied hopes of a decision in 1917
vanished. But before the
of Russia was clear to the world, be-
fore Germany ould capitalize the moral
and military consequences OF the pass
ing Of the Slav state. the United states
entered the war on the allied side,
bringing a moral influence wnicn
quite disSipated the effects OF Russian
desertion and was bound, in due course
of time. to provide a military contribu-
ton which would replace the Russian
share in allied Warfare.
Beiliqerents Disappointed.
And so the allies, who, still trusting
Russia, had hoped To win, and the Ger
mans, who had expected 10 triumph,
knowing Russia. were equally disap-
pointed. Both sides were compelled TO
recognize that no decision could be
had, ana both sides are bound TO real
iZe now. as the new yea opens, that
the chance OF victory in 1918 is small,
because America cannot make any de-
ciSivc contribution TO the campaign or
the coming year, and her contribution
Is essential to an allied victory. The
Germans. on their side, are bound TO
recognize, presently, that they have not
left the resources necessary 10 OBTAIN
that decision in the west which escaped
them at the Marine and at Verdun.
They must perceive, too, that the al
lies. knowing that the United States is
coming up will hold on with new en-
ergy aud fresh determination.
one other balance there is to tie
struck. The German had hoped To find
In the submarine a weapon to force
the allies TO make Il negotiated peace in
1917: the weapon failed and despite it's
past raVagHS and present peril Is no
longer regarded in or out of Germany
as likely to win the war. BY contrast.
the allies. when they began to rccog-
niHc the extent oF Russian collapse.
sought in Flanders tn push home an
attack which would compel the Gel
mans TO shorten thei rlincs and eyacu-
AT" MOST of western France before trey
corIi withdraw troops from the eastern
iron, in sufficient numbers To stay the
British attack. BY an inConsiderable
margin, but by 4 safe margin, the Ger
mans got their troops back, the Brit
ish thrust fnilcd, the chance of clear
Ing northern France has gonc, perhaps
until the day when 10000 American
trOpS restore the advantage OF num-
berS TO the foes of Germany.
And this, after all. is the statement
of the year of war. The main hopes of
both sides have failed. In France the
British and French have won victories
and the Germans ha ve lost battles and
territory. In the east, Bagdad and
Jerusalem, Mesopotamia and Palestine
have FALLEN to British arms and Ger
man Fast Africa. the last of Gerplany's
colonial possessions, has passed to the
control 90 Britain. AS against this Ger
many has won 81 great success in Italy
and The Very safety OF Italy has been
imp"rilcd and relnains IN peril. The
eilicd hope that Italy would be able to
con2lete the exhaustion Of Austria has
not been realized, and Austria is not
likely now 70 be a victim OF Italian mil
itary power. Here is another and very
considerable allied hope Eone gliinmer-
irg.
Put laying aside these balancing
LAIN % profit and loss. we are bound
at this time 10 examine the very much
larger question of the effect of the
events - the past Near upon the major
ambitions and aspirations of the two
continents. Such an examination of
facts. TOO. must lead inevitably to the
realization that the events of 1917 have
sensib!y. materially and perhaps perna-
nentiy changed the situation of both
groups of povers The war, viewed i'm
Its present light. seems unlikely to end
in quite the fashion either group Of
bclligorents hoped and expected one
year ago, much less as they hoped 40
months ago. when the conflict was
opening.
Briton Holds ADVANTAGE.
The French Tictory at the Marine and
the French stand before Verdun nut n
f.nai term 20 lie major hope of Ger
many Thn2tS to the French valor and
military genius. rance was not de-
stroych while Britain remained un-
ready. And now. after nearly three
years AID a hale W war. the situation
rs between Germany and her British
Zoe remains Enthusiastically favorable To
the T.riton. He holds all OF Germany's
%colouie save 70" Siuall portions occu-
pied ~ his allies. lie mas b%an;shed the
German flag from the sea. he has
brought about tho vain OF the whole
commercial cdifice Ci Germany within
his IS empire. AaG the necessity OF
getting ~ Britain lac in:oiVed Ger
many. through the submarine cam
pa!sr, With ne Emitted states and with
variOGS uther nations. The whole COM
mc-cial machine CT Gc3 many outside of
the fathC"iIra haa been wrecked, in
South America ~ well as Asia. If the
wa" were 20 end today on the basis of
,hs var nap, no n could deny that,
NJ Tirpit~ Faithfully said recently.
Great Eritain had won and Germany
Lost and ttat for the future a crippled
Germany would face Il strengthened
British commercial rival.
Further than this. Germany had
Hoped TO- annex Belgium n much of
Eortheru France. including Calais and