WHEN WILL THE WAR END ?

Free Lance, Volume XVI, Issue 847, 29 September 1916, Page 6

WHEN WILL THE WAR END ?

The War Prophet Nuisance.

FROM time to time a peace-rumour makes its appearance and, despite its transparent • silliness, sends quite a lot of good folk into temporary transports of comfort and satisfaction. The latest is to the effect that Germany is.to- move, at either Madrid or Washington, next month, with a view to obtaining an armistice, during which, so the story goes, peace negotiations can . be set on foot. As a matter of fact, neither King ' Alfonso nor President ' Wilson would ever be able to convince the Allies that an armistice would be desirable. The Allies are out to smash the ■ Hun and smash him irretrievably, permanently "out" him in fact. As for the predictions of professional or amateur war experts that the war will end about this, that, or the other date, they aire all so much foolery'. For some months an amusing jingle has been current in the Old Country. It runs thus: Actual evidence -I have none,But my aunt's charwoman's sister's son Heard a policeman on his beat Say to a housemaid in ' •■-Downing- ■ street 1 That he knew someone who had a friend Who knew when-the war was going to end. * •» * ''*.-.'.. Tlie smarty who' knows, all' about it and will tip the war to end by Christmas, or next June; or a year next Christmas,'is'-not unknown in Wellington. When, however, the bladder of self-conceit is pricked, the practical result only is what might be expected: Actual evidence I" have none,

but- some real or .imaginary British or foreign statesman whom the selfstyled authority once met at lunch once said so and so or such and such. For goodness sake let us get on with the really necessary work of inducing or compelling the slackers to do their duty. Far better that than wasting time in cock-sure but profitless prophecy.