The Evening Star MONDAY.. FEBRUARY 19, 1917.

Evening Star, Issue 16352, 19 February 1917, Page 4

The Evening Star MONDAY.. FEBRUARY 19, 1917.

Mitch of the news that is now coming from overseas is more inAll Sorts of teresting than valuable. News. That the public are

anxious to learn what is being done on their behalf is only natural; that the mental pabulum they are receiving is always of the most unimpeachable kind is doubtful. There is greater need than ever, now that the nations are gathering themselves together for what is believed may prove the last year of slaughter, for the exercise of circumspection and discernment in the selection and acceptance of news. From now on the world's Press will bo teeming with all serfs of rumors, which will be circulated far and near, and which it will be well for us to interpret in the light of our past knowledge and the inherent probabilities. Our consolation must be that, however strange and improbable may be a percentage of the matter that is published, there are, with rare exceptions, not wanting signs and guides even- here and there to direct us along a safe path. In spite of the temptation not to do so, it is perhaps better that we should reject the American story which tells of 187 captured German submarines, with the Deutschland thrown in, lying in rows foxall the world to see—as well as for travelling engineers—in Plymouth Harbor, and content ourselves with Mr Massey's more modest story, to the effect that* he had been authoritatively informed that the submarines were being effectively opposed. This we can well believe, without shadow of reservation. That there will continue to be loss, and even more savage outbursts of ruthlessness than those we already know, is most probable; that the British Empire, and with it the hopes of mankind, is going to be crushed or reduced to impotence by Germany's policy of piracy and murder at sea is outside the realm of human achievement, and simply cannot be done.

The few words spoken by Mr Arthur Henderson, one of the five members of the War Cabinet, can also be accepted-with-out hesitation: "The next few months " were going to test the Allies as never '' before, and he was confident we had "got the measure of our opponents." Nor need we dismiss as untrustworthy the whole of the contents of the summaries of reported interviews with General Haig and with the American Ambassador's (MiGerard) party. What portion of theso published interviews represents authoritative deliverances, and what the inferences, deductions, and conclusions of the interviewer, it is difficult to say. But it is not unlikely that Sir Douglas Haig has expressed his confidence in his armies being able to carry through the work he will demand of them within the next six months, and all the evidence at our command confirms the reported American opinion that "the German people were "convinced that their submarines within "six weeks would force England to sue " for peace, and that what would happen "when these beliefs were exploded they "did not know." Germany is capable of believing anything, and in this relation most things are possible, however seemingly tragically ludicrous. It is well we should not forget that the Germans as a people have so far the most unswerving faith in the wisdom of their rulers. They believe that their armies are everywhere victorious; that the British people are starving, their Navy securely hiding, and that its most famous admiral is disgraced. When Sir John Jellicoe was transferred to the head of the Admiralty the German newspapers headed their comments on this announcement with such words as " Jellicoe's setdown," "Jellicoe no longer commands," "Jellicoe removed"; while their further assertions took the form of variations on the text "Admiral Jellicoe has been e'e- " graded on account of his ' defeat' in "the battle of Jutland," or "Balfour " had to do something, he could hesitate "no longer,, as the public anger grew "and England felt uneasy." Wild and outrageous as these statements are to the outside world, it can hardly be too often repeated that they arc ""Gospel truth'' to the German nation, and constitute in these days of trial and stress the life-blood of the people.

.As recently as December 31 the German Kaiser confirmed the Jutland myth in his New Year order to the army and navy : " The biggest naval battle of this war was our victory in the Skager Rack." this being the German title for what the British Admiralty and Navy refer to as the Battle of Jutland. Of such a nation anything or nothing can he predicted. It may abjectly fall on its knees and ask the offended powers for mercy (as its soldiers have been known* when their munitions were exhausted, to raise their hands and arms and cry " Kamerad") ; or it may further feed itself upon the belief that the entry of the United States into the war would be rather a blessing than otherwise, as, while the Allies have been so crushed that they can only recoup the Central Powers with territory, the United States will be able to pay for the fruits of its folly in challenging Germany with cash. Therefore, in the words ascribed to the American Ambassadorial party, what will happen when these myths, are exploded and a starved and beaten nation stands face to face with the naked fa-cls no one knows. It would not be an impossible task to. predict what would happen in the United States or in Great Britain or in Franco were it possible to imagine a similar condition of affairs in those countries as now rt/7e.s in Germany; but that \miiappy nation, '

having for a generation given its soul into the keeping of its Government, it is beyond confutation what it will or will not do. • Of more immediate importance is the fact that the Allies have "the measure of their opponents " and to know that three things-. alono are necessary for their defeat. These are (in the pithy statement cf -Lord Derby) Money.'Men, and Munitions. Given these, and the next six months should decide the war. It is, however, imperative that we should not overlook the Secretary of War's definition of "men." In Lord Derby's use of the term this includes everyone, soldier and civilian alike. Old and young (if physically fit), rich and poor, man and woman, youth and maiden must each and all combine on behalf of the common Cause if that Cause is to win through against the most formidable reserve forces that yet remain at the command of the common enemv.