The courier-index., 1918-09-06
ERRONEOUS REPORTS THAT ARE
CALCULATED TO INSPIRE OVER
CONFIDENCE ARE SOURCE
OF GREAT DANGER.
CIRCULATION AIDS GERMANS
War News OF Late is Most EncouraQ.
Ing, but End of Struggle
Not In Sight

the war is practically over and that
soon the American soldiery will be
battering at the very gates of Berlin
forms the basis for an authoritative
warning from Washington. This Opt
mism is fraught with great danger, and
is frowned upon by everybody OF inn
portance at the national capital.
1T is no time to talk of the war be
ing over" said the army's chief OF
staff. Boastful and over-optimistic
prophecies are regarded in government
circles as not only foolish, but danger
GUS. We are but just getting into the
war, says an authoritative writer in the
New York Times, and 1t is only within
the last few weeks that we have put
enough men at the battle front to rem
der notable assistance.
As an instance Of the wrong kind OF
optimism Is cited the action of large
manufacturer in the Middle West on q
recent visit to Washington. He took
with him his plans for enlarging the
output of his plant. and was SO conf
dent that the war would end next
spring that he was actually making
his plans on that basis.
He was ardently loyal. He did not
realize that in spreading his ideas
among his employees and the citizens OF
his community, where he was recog
nized as a leader, that he was doing
that which would receive the warm
commentator OF the German propa
gandists
Misleading Headlines.
Official Washington condemns pre-
mature celebrating of the end of the
war. while at the same time approving
the appreciation of the people of the
glorious news that is authentic. At a
Kentucky celebration the news was
that the Kaiser has been licked" A
newspaper carried the headlines that
100000 Huns had been trapped
The information was. Of course, er
ioneousfi and the real truth that, while
victory of note had been won, 1t did
not mean the end of the war
The popular estimate that 1000 00t
Americans added to the Allied forces
would end the war has proven wrong
Later 1t was calculated that 1900, 0O(
would do the job Now the estimate Is
100000. and 1t may go higher.
Il think there could be nothing more
harmful said United States Senator
Harry s. New of Indiana, ito the AL
lied cause than for American people to
get the idea that because of the sue
cesses Of the last few weeks the begin
ming of the end is in sight"
Senator New appreciated to the ut
termost the splendid achievements OF
the Americans, French and English
but there is no Indication that the de
cisive battle has been fought.
He recalled the fact that four years
ago. when the Germans were at the
Marine, they were driven back quite as
precipitately as they were this time
and yet four years later the work had
all to be done over again.
Situation, Is Hopeful.
~ 40 III No W lCCis nc says, tudI
nc matter how many times this may
happen. the forces of the Allies will
continue their resistance and their at
tack, and that there shall never he q
let-up until there is complete Allied
victory. whether the Hun is twice or a
dozen times at the Marine before thai
end is reached.
Il don't believe he can come that j
again. But II will not do to feel for q
moment that he is weakening"
Senator New believes the war will
be won on the western front He be
lieves il is a military impossibility fol
the Allies ever to re-establish an east
ern battle front Russia cannot be
depended on.
He points out that in the great Ger
man offensive of March 81 the Ger
mans took more than loo. 900 prisoners
and 1000 guns and that IL is more
than possible that Germany lost more
heavily this time because OF over-con
tidence on account of their success in
drives previous to the last one.
While holding to the idea that we
are going to win." he says. I'VE must
at the same time provide all that ia
necessary to make a successful finish
OF the thing. The German army can
and will fight for a long time on the
defense. II 1t should be defeated soon
er than we expect. so much the bet
ter"