Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1918-03-28
The G.rman sneak,m

population. are almost exactly half. Wa
are net only directors of il but masters.
Ms f ore. m ,1alnl \, - .ts G9rs &c mi@ ogfs Sc gs
Hrflntn population. IT that stands firm
he whole mass Hi}l stand firm. W. ;lro
hlockadel by sea and the blockade has
become very much mere rigorous sine
The United STATE entered the war.
IN" strain in the matter or food aud
OF things almost as essential as food.
sdc1 as SOAPS and mbricating materials.
iiias gone on for a long time and pre-
duccs a very depressing effect. 'rhn
rnnimio's mortaiiiy IN the field, The
tality. and particularly Of infant NOR
tality. play their part.
on the other hand; we are fighting
which civilization will not forgive and
which W.. can only compel it to repricve
by showing that we are invincible and
Therefore immune from punishment.
That is Il great factor of strength, and
the nation knows it.
Next, we are fighting on foreign soil
some 100000 prisoners. Tremendous eff
forts To break our front Lave failed in the
west, and in the east we have completely
succeeded. In Italy We but recently woi,
tilnes. We are within an ace of upsettinS
the equilibrium of our enemies and pro
dutllis Z general collapse.
we mad against us two groups of foes:
on inc one side ancient civilization, rep
resented by Britain. Italy and France: on
.ne other, a hodge-podge OF far less de
Ncioped eastern communities, n perfect
!apyrlnth Of conflicting crceds and
tongues. in the main Slav and deplorably
orsanized. or these last we. have become
unquestioned masters. The are defea ted.
We can do what We will with them and
supplies from them will greatly relieve
our Internal strain.
me first group. the ancient western
peoples. resembles a she'll which is still
strong, hut the contents of which are
corrupt; They cannot do more than re-
are wasting fast.
The United States will bring a con-
siderable accretion of men to the west.
m time nor in sufficient numbers to affect
The quarrel Of the poor against the
The differing religions and national ira
ditions of each, the inevitable misundcr-
standings which will arise between them
work and We shall be victorious in this
sense, at the very least, that we shall
retain all we have occupied. We shall
emerge stronger, comparatively, than
three and a half years ago.
Such L believe to be the general atti-
tude directing the German minds at
this moment under Prussian influences
and under the recent great relief which
1T derived through the break up of the
Russian empire and the tremendous
victory on the Italian front last Octo-
Der.
Now, what about the western q
tons: The state that once was called
Russia we can eliminate. 1t no longer
exists. Three western nations are the
cruX of the whole problem. lave they
been misunderstood by the German
authorities. and even by the Austrians?
Is their internal organization stronger
than the enemy imagines? Will it suf-
flee to maintain the struggle until the
and victory on one side or the other
there is no permanent decision for
Europe at all. Any one who conceives
of permanent peace without it is living
in q world of illusions).
/ cannot make so bold as to answer
the question directly, but l can, at any
rate. state how the problem looks to
those who are governing in the three
countries.
To begin with Great Britain. The
mind that is governing Great Britain
Ga most complicated organisation it
is not only political, but social and
ariStocratic: not only this, but highly
commercial, and to thai extent cosmo-
politan: not only this. but financial, for
London is the clearing house of the
world), seems to stand somewhat thus:
The strain Is far heavier thar we
thought 1t would be even a year ago. We
are. mainly an industrial country. We are
highly capitalistic and our social arrange
ments were never made for such a strain.
The strain is worse because we are an
sland.w which lives by it's imports. both of
material and food, as a diver lives by his
air tank.
Finally. it is against us, in the shape
Of submarines, that the really heavy
been conducted. 1t is we who. therefore.
have suffered the most rapidly increas-
ing pressure. Meanwhile. we have had
same time act as a main workshop 70.
the whole west, and that by a spontane-
gus and quite novel effort which those
ignorant of our national character would
have thought impossible. 1t has, indeed.
surprise ourselves.
Our senfiaence ultimately reposes in
tain latent, silent and almost subcon-
scious forces which are a sort of great
reserve upon which the nation draws in
Vocal h other nations: It is full 'e Of
astonishingly Individual and eccentric
energies which make the foreigner think
in the hs.' highest isu degree sae and. and. though II suGac cons
fusedly, the mass does understand that
this war is for this island (more than for
and deah.
Finally. We are consistently secure in
the fiber of our race. This physical o
age a and 18th the grip Of tradition Gf which M we
wac,. and will continue to- be justified in
the future.
Nothing Sacred to French Mind.
The French reply can be put much
more shortly and simply, m 1t really
is the core of the whole matter:
We have as a government nothing ira
ditional or sacred about us. The parlia-
mertary regime in France is only an
experiment. and not a very popular one
at that. 1t arose In defeat, and it will
certainly be modified after this great
struggle: but We are members Of a COM
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