Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-20


Close Iron Ring About
Germany, y. s. Urged
Continued from rage One
the familiar process by which decisions
are reached ia this Government. First
public and the newsps pers, then Con-
gress then the white House Or. first
Congress. then the public and the news
papers, then the White House. The or
der sometimes varies slightly. but that
is the cycle, And the first phases are
already here in this matter OF reconsti-
tuting the eastern front. recoustitutins
il with an American army. in a way
that will call forth all American energy
and appeal to the imagination Of the
people.
Administration or Defensive
It is plain TO observe here that the
Administration feels that it is on the
defensive in regard to Russia when
questions are asked in the State De-
partment as to why this is not done or
that is no: done members Of the State
Department retort rather irritably by
asking how YOU would do 1t, where you
would get the ships. what government
YOU would deal with The psychological
state revealed is significant. The ques-
tions imply that action should be taken
but raise the plea of lit can't be done
How long can government stand before
the American people with the plea 1T
can't be done?
This issue is precisely like the issue
that existed a little more than a year
ago. At that time the army was saying
1t could not send men to France for a
year. The French were urging that the
sending of men should begin at once.
Where were the ships: Where. II men
were sent at once. We're men 10 be found
TO train the new recruits and the drafted
men? The Admnistrat ION stood out on
it's "it can't be done" for short time
and then the first division was ordered
to France. and today. instead of just
having begun. as was proposed last year.
nearly 100000 are in France or on the
way there.
DIFFICULTIES Are Great
The difficulties Of reconstituting the
eastern front with American and
japanese soldiers are great. but rela-
overcome in sending 100000 men to
France. We are now in the war and
organized for war. We have expert
cnce where we had none a year ago.
We can revise and enlarge our plans
once again az we have so'often mad 10
do since entering the Wal. we can go
forward from the idea Of aiding Eng
land and France to ueat Germany to
the'f,iea of taking the lead in lighting
Germany everywhere. That is the ar
gument of the men here in Washington,
in Congress and elsewhere, who see
it as this country's duty to reconstitute
the Eastern front.
Reconstruction of the eastern front
raises once more the old issue between
the Fasteners" and the "Westerners"
to men who think the war is TO be won
in the west and those who think II
can only be won in the Fast a. least.
only thus won in reasonable time. But
IL raises the old issues in new form,
for only if the eastern front is recon
stituted will it be possible to use the
power of Japan and the resources or
Asia against the Central Powers. To
fight Germany only in the west is now
to fight Germany with one hand tied,
And it has become peculiarly Mr..
Wilson'S duty to find the way to use
the power of Japan and China against
Germany. He has through the Lam
sing-Ishii agreement removed the old
causes Of suspicion and distrust exist
ing between this country and Japan
and he has by interpos!ng objections
to the intervention in Siberia increased
the obligation to suggest some other re-
course.
Need For Diversion Pressing
Circumstances will press for action
in the east. In the opinion of the best
Informed military authorities iong
period lies before us during which the
military situation in the west Will DE
threatening.
The Germans will be able to maintain
the offensive against the Allies during
all that remains of warm weather TINS
year. The process of pressing back the
British and French which has been 60
/ ing on since the end of March will con-
tinue until November. During that proc
/ ess many positions which II is undesir-
able TO lose may be lost The loss of
Paris even is conceivable.
The reason why the Germans will con-
tinue to drive the Allies back is that
they have an advantage both in men and
in positions on the west front. So great
is this advantage that a high military
authority told me the other day that the
Germans probably could force military
decision in France with e5 per cen; more
men than the Allies had, while the Allies
would require 100 per cent more mer
than the Germans 10 gain a decision
All of this will create demand for a
diversion elsewhere. And as the mill
tary situation develops in the west thi:
country's vision Of the part 1t must play
in Germany's defeat will widen. It will
see that il must fight Germany every
where and that it must find a way to
enlist all the anti-German resource!
against Germany. The men who will
tell Congress soon that the United
States, and not somebody else, must re
constitute the eastern front, bringin,
Japan into the fight effectively, see al
. this already