The Washington herald., 1918-04-17

ASCOIuin6 W iCpOAtSf Sdlu
men in her last drive that broke |
that reached to within fifty miles
Nothing to Germany.
That is very likely true, it is pos
sible she lost a half million men. but
what IL that to Germany7 Nothing.
because for every man that IL killed
in the front line trenches the Kaiser
has ten men who he can send to take
his place at a moments notice.
"Our American public Is taking an
altogether too optimistic view of the
war situation. Optimism is one Of
the most necessary qualities that
waring country could have. The Eng
Ilsh have II, the French have II and
ali the rest of the allies are full of
1t. but the United States, $500 miles
from the battlefront. can hardly be
expected to realize the great burden
we are fighting under and the terrific
odds we have to contend with and
therefore too much optimism will be
detriment instead OF an asset If
carried to any great length"
Mr.. Dean saw part OF the American
expedltionary forces getting their in
tensive training In preparation for
the front-line trenches. The boys
whom 1 saw are probably in the
trenches helping to stop the present
German drive" said Mr.. Dean, and
IL their Is anyone in the world who
can do 1t, then they are the ones.
Great big husky kids, most Of them
without a care in the world, and
just itching to get chance at the
Boche
Americans Best Fighters.
Put $4,000 American boys-big,
brawny, laughing kids is all they
are-and the same number Of Ger
mans against them on an open field
and I would not give a nickel for
the chances Of the Boche. The Stars
and Stripes would be Tapping in
the breeze amid a grinning mob OF
American boys when the thing was
over. But that is an impossibility.
The Germans f5r outnumber the al
lies. Their guns, ammunition, air
planes, submarines and other instru-
ments Of modern warfare are the
product of thirty years experiments
and that is why say beware Of
too much optimism.
'One has to smile and grin with
pleasure as he sees units of the
American forces marching through
little French villages on their way
to the front.
"As the troops go by, the villagers
stand in their doorwsys and wave
at them. The little girls strew
flowers in the roadway. and the lit
tie French boys follow the soldiers
through the streets, tagging their
cCat-tails. looking up and laughing,
hoping that some soldier may re-
turn his smile so that he may catch
kold Of the soldiers hand and march
through the streets with him.
America Gives Courage.
THE entrance of America into this
war has had a wonderful effect upon
the morale OF the French and Eng
lish troops. The men in the trenches
and they are the ones to figure on
have all heard of the wonderful,
unlimited resources of the United
States, and they think that with
America on their side the ultimate
winning Of the war is assured That
Is fine for the French and English
forces. 1t helps to keep them op-
timistic. but it does not make them
forget that they are fighting a world
power which has prepared for this
war for almost forty years.
with the United States 1t is diff
ferent. We have had no air raids
to remind Us that we are in this war
to the finish. The French and the
English have had them and its keeps
before the minds Of the public, the
necessity for striving to bring this
war to a quick end.
Il believe that instead Of hurting
US a good big air raid would do US
good. Air raids never hurt the
French or the English. but they dio
keep fresh before the people the
thought that Germany is breaking
every law of humanity and trying to
Germanize Europe.
Air Raids Make War Real.
IAN air raid over Washington or
New York would do US more good
than fifty casualty lists. Casualty
lists come in very slowly and are
hard to believe when they do get
here, but an aerial raid would let us
know that we are really in this war
to stay and would keep before the
American public as 1t does before the
English and French public the nee
cessity for speeding our ship BUILDING
program, our manufacture Of air
planes and the immediate necessity
Of another million Of American troops
in France. NNRT
I'VE have in France at this time
approximately $4,000 men of whom,
according to reports eighty per cent
are in the front line trenches. The
men who go over from this time on
will get very little intensive train