McNairy County independent. (Selmer, McNairy County, Tenn.) 1902-1969, 1918-09-06
WASHINGTON WARNS
AGAINST MISGUIDED
OPTIMISTIC VIEW
ERRONEOUS REPORTS THAT ARE
CALCULATED TO INSPIRE OVER
CONFIDENCE ARE SOURCE
OF GREAT DANGER.
CIRCULATION AIDS GERMANS
War News Of Late Is Most Encouraa-
ing, but End Of Struggle
Not in Sight.

Misguided optimism, the belief that
the war is practically over and that
soon the American soldiery will be
batterlng 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 i'm
portance at the national capital.
ut 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 it is only within
the last few weeks that we have put
enough men at the battle front to rem
I der notable assistance.
AS an instance of the wrong kind of
optimism is cited the action of large
manufacturer in the Middle West on
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 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. err
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 GOA
Americans added to the Allied forces
would end the war has proven wrong.
Later it was calculated that 5000. 900
would do the job Now the estimate is
100000, and it may go higher.
Il think there could be nothing more
harmful said United States Senator
Harry S. New of Indiana, "to the AL
lied cause than for American people to
get the idea that because of the sue
icesses 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 ls Hopeful.
1T is for US to feel" he says, that,
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 be
let-up until there is complete Allied
victory, whether the Hun is twice or q
dozen times at the Marine before that
end is reached.
Il don't believe he can come tina. ( e
again. But it win not do to feel for
moment that he is weakening"
Senator New believes the war win
be won on the western front. He be-
lieves it is a military impossibility for
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 FL the Ger.
mans took more than 100000 prisoners
and 1000 guns, and that 1t Is more
than possible that Germany lost more
heavily this time because of over-con-
fidence 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, we must
at the same time provide all that Is
necessary to make successful finish
OF the thing. The German army can
and will fight for long time on the
defense. If it SHOULD be defeated SOON
er than we expect, SO much the bet
ter"