Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1918-04-26
FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 1919.


which America S war preparations are
reaching. The govern nent is making
ready for long war. There never has
been an idea here that 1918 would see
the close of hostilities. There has
been distinct feeling that this may
he tie deciding year-deciding in the
sense that it will bring about closer
unity among the allies and arouse a
greater determination than ever to
hght the war to a successful conclu-
sion, but there is no thought that the
end is in sight. Quite the contrary.
Immense contracts have beenlet by
the government within the last week
Tor the building up of war industries
which are not scheduled even to begin
production until more than year
from now. The officials in Washing
ton are eager that these facts shall be
impressed up on the public. The
people must steel themselves to a long
war and must understand that in the
eloser government councils, where the
situation is fully appreciated, plans
are going ahead as if there were every
assurance in the world that A merica
rmust still be fighting three or four or
five years hence.
1t is not difficult to recall the
samazement with which the English
people heard the prediction of Lord
Kitchener in 1914, that the war surely
would last three years or more. They
were incredulous. So it is with Amer
leans today. They distinctly gained
the impression that with Americas
entry into the field of battle the end
could not be far off. Visitors to
Washington have brought this view
with them from various parts of the
.eountry. But they were taking back
today, ard will continue to take back
the impression gained in Washington
that America is just beginning to fight
and is preparing to ''carry on for so
long as may be necessary.
If anything were needed to empha-
size the necessity of preparing for
several years of war, it was furnished
in the power of the German offensive.
The dominance of the military party
in Germany, the strength of the Ger
man military machine, the fighting
ability of the German army all have
Deen brought home with force which
should leave no doubt in the mind of
any thinking person as to the serious
ness of the task that cOnfrOnts the
United States. If the German military
power is to be broken America must
do it, and the undertaking is one
which well may call for plans that
look some distance into the future.
1t is no evidence of delay that the
government is now letting contracts
for war plants which cannot be fin.
ished for year or more. It is instead
an Indication of the fuller grasp of
just what the allies are expecting OF
the people of the United States. The
plans of war six months from now
may make even those Of today seem
small in comparison. War ever is pro-
gressive. It calls always for more
and more Ut was not an easy matter
to make the United States over into
"A military nation in few months,
but we are becoming more proficient
with each passing day and it is pos
-Sible now to talk in the most casual
way on projects SO enormous that a
half year ago they would have caused
a gasp from even the biggest and
most forward looking men of the adj
ministration.
Washington bears evidence on every
hand that the American machine is
being built up with the idea that it
will have many years to run. My first
impression back of the British front
in France was the permanent charact-
ter of the works being put up for the
maintenance of the army-the ware
alOues, the railroads, the telephone
ard telegraph lines, the water works
system and it seemed to me the
British must be preparing for another
thirty years war, provided it should
take that long to accomplish the de-
feat of the German army.
The food administration in particu-
lar is looking far into the future, but,
.aof course, the food situation in the
world may be worse the year after
peace is declared than at any time
during the progress of the war, and
the machinery for administering the
worlds supply of foodstuffs must be
maintained for more heroic service at
that time than any time it heretofore
mas been called upon to prefOrm.
The sooner the country realizes the
situation the better it will be. Presi
dent Wilson undoubtedly will do his
share in impressing upon the people
ahe habit of looking forward to sus
tanned period of warfare.
Milwaukee Journal.