The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-03-09
.BRITON REVIEWS
WAR SITUATION
ANDREW BONAR LAW DOES
NOT PAINT ROSY PIC
TURE OF EVENTS.
London, March 9-In his address

London, March 9.-In his address
to the house OF commons yester-
day, Andrew Bouar Law, chancellor
of the exchequer, speaking of the
military situation, said that the
dropping out OF Russia deeply al
fected every theater OF war except
that in the German colonies, OF
which the Germans had been driven.
The only remaining force in the
field was one OF 1000, of which only
200 were Germans, now wandering
in Portuguese East Africa.
Rumania, through the failure OF
Russia, the chancellor pointed out,
had been put into position little
less than tragic. AT present, he said,
peace negotiations were proceeding
between Rumania and the central
powers, and it would not be right to
90 further than to rciterate the
sympathy felt for the Rumanlan
people and the regret that condi-
tions absolutely beyond allied con
troll rendered it impossible to go to
her assistance.
Referring to Mesopotamia and
Palestine, the chancellor said he
doubted whether it ever had been
possible to carry out decisive oper-
ations by means OF troops trans
ferred by sea.
Ships Aplenty, Men Few.
"When we had sufficient tonnage
to move troops by sea- the chan
cellor continued, eve did not have a
sufficient number OF trained troops
to move, and now the tonnage po-
sition has made it impossible to
move very large forces in that way.
These operations, however Mr..
Bonar Law contended, had resulted
in a degree Of success of which the
country could feel proud, and OF
which the capture OF Jerusalem was
the elimination. That event was
not the end, he said, but he could
not say what the plans were for the
future
In his remarks about the Salonki
sector, the chancellor said it was not
difficult to Justify the Salonki eXpe-
dition, as but for the position the
allies were now holding, COnstan.
tine would still be on the throne o.
Greece and the whole country woulC
be overrun by the Germans, who
would have been able to control The
Balkans from all sides. This woulC
have been a great accession o
strength, he pointed out, while th'
Greek harbors would also have beer
at the disposal OF enemy subma
rines, and it would have been al
most impossible to keep up commu
nications with the east.
Was Terrible Blow.
Turning to the west, Mr.. Bona
Law said it might have been eX
pected that but for the Russian col
lapse the war would have been owe
year ago in favor of the allies
, What had happened in Russia wa
terrible blow to the allies, but h
asked that it be looked at for mo
ment from the German point o
view. When the war broke out, h
continued, Russia was militarily tn
strongest enemy Germany had +
face. Now, Russia has dropped on
r but despite this, Germany was nc
S a step nearer the victory for whic
t she was looking.
a As to Russia, herself, the char
t cellor thought that from ever
e point of view there was justihcatio
e in thinking that Germany would nc
d be able to exploit her The wa
a Germany was treating her, he cor
S tended, could not fail to create a
c intense feeling of hostility through
j. out the Russia empire, while the viz
= tory of the central powers woul
v mean the absolute loss of any hor
d of a free Russia.