The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1918-08-26
DANGER or ovERcoNFIDENcE.

What the Tree nations Of the world have most to fear
now is not German guns but. OyercOnRdence At thi
critical time when the enemy staggered but not beaten
it would be welnigh fatal mistake if the allied nations
should premaurely consider the victory assured and thu
relax their preparations and their battle efforts tn,
enemy would be infinitely befriended by such short
sightedness He would be benefited more directly thar
by the gift Of - few divisions Of troops
The danger Of OvercOnfdence is not on the battle line
but far back among the workers. The boys on the front
will not quit until their task DONE They may be re-
edpOn to fight to finish, whether the battle be short
long 1t is among the workers. the legislators and the
general public that the danger Of overconhdence lies
they should become possessed of the idea that he
wars about over" that "Germanys all in and that 1--WE
can afford to let nOw the result would be sackening
Of effort and reduction Of war output that might
caamitOus to the army in France.
The war is not about over, nor is Germany "all in.
There are supposed to be 100000 Germans on the
western 'front.' 100000 of them on the firing line and
an equal number in or not far away The thrust
ing back Of portion Of their line and the capture Of
100000 prisoners far from being decisive factors
far as the end of the concerned If this remark
seems to bettle the allied victories let the reader turn
the situation around Let him imagine that the Germans
had thrust the allied armies back and captured
prisoners. Would that mean that the war was about
over and that America and the other allies were "about
all in?" The reader knows that ii would mean exactly
the oppOste-that the allies would take new grip and
that America would proudly declare that she had just
begun to fight"
And that is the truth america has just begun to fight
The victories lately by French British and American
troops cannot be betted They are immensely import
ant as showing that the allied forces equal if
not superior to the enemy The courage tenacty and
brilliant teamwork Of the allied armies are glorious in
performance and glorious in promise but these battles
are merely the beginning Of the tremendous struggles
that will be necessary to reduce Germany oimpotence
As the Germans their soil they will Rght harder
more cOmpactly and effectively because of their
improved and shortened communications and because the
soldiers will be made to believe that they are fighting for
their own homes and families.
Nothing but huge armies, thoroughly trained and
equipped will beat the organized machine for murder and
robbery that is called Germany. The chief reliance Of
the allies is upon the United States The chief reliance
OF the United States upon the temper Of its men and
women. The comes home tosevery person. and no
citizon can bIvf auoa,xa he uara 10
for carrying the war He cannotslack his work with
out adversely affecting the efforts Of his own SON at the
front II he prematurey that victory is here
and quits his task he will certainly contribute to the
hardships of the soldier boys and perhaps will be the
direct Of the death Of them through short
age of food, clothing, equipment or ammunition
Every consideration Of prudence patriotism and honor
demands that Americans shall redouble their vigilance
and their labor at this time While the enemy waver-
ing is the time to drive home the final blow. While the
fight is still in the balanceis the time for increasing
every energy that victory shall not be doubtful or
delayed Overconfdence is insidious and dangerous It
isa twin evil sister Of defeatsm Away with both! In
these mighty times it is the privilege Of Americans
parake Of the great spirit of their forefathers who were
neither cast down by adversely isled by sudden good
fortune They kept their hearts upon the goal of lib
ery and would be turned aside until they had gained
the immortal prize It is for their sons here and in
France fasten their hearts upon the prize of victory
and to be Indifferent to good fortune and bad fortune
alike until they have annihated the enemy Of liberty
Washington Post.
There are several young in Greeneville whose