FRIDAY, JANUARY 11, 1918. WHEN WILL THE WAR END?

Free Lance, Volume XVII, Issue 913, 11 January 1918, Page 8

FRIDAY, JANUARY 11, 1918. WHEN WILL THE WAR END?

Britilsh Optimism. Lord Derby and Mr. Lloyd George 'have sent out New Year messages" which express a fervent hope and more or less confident belief that peace will come before the end of this year. At first sight these messages appear : unduly- optimistic in tone, especially in view of the. Russian collapse. But it must always be remembered that out here we know very little of ..the actual state of affairs in Europe, and that.men of the type of Mr. Lloyd George and Lord Derby are scarcely likely to make such' sanguine statements without fairly good warrant. Russia may be "out of it 5,v so_far as the war is concerned, and the idiotic Bolshevik Government may cause Allies some very serious trouble by their dreams of an international brotherhood of the proletariat. The British and French on the Western Front are bound to have to contend with some new and terrific onslaught before the year is .much older, and the Italians are by no means out of the wood. Still, all things considered, we believe that, if the Christmas 1918 the war is not over, the end will not be very far distant. * * * * All neutral accounts agree in describing Germany's economic condition as growing steadily worse and worse. Her hopes of obtaining vast supplies of food from Russia will probably prove ' illusive, for, by all accounts, Russia will want all the food she possesses for herself. Then, too, Germany must be gravely embarrassed through the lack of metals, cotton, and materials for war munitions generally. Holland and Sweden, now that America, has seen where her exports have really been going to, cannot supply* the Huns as they have been doing in the past,- and the Sotith American States are apparently in agreement with Washington in a strong anti-German policy. Best news of all is that which hints at America .being already steadily engaged in transporting men and guns to Europe. ' * * * * No doubt the Hun will make one final and titanic effort to knock out France before the over-sea assistance can make itself appreciably felt. But, remembering the Marne, remembering Verdun, We are calmly confident that however determined the attempt may be, it is foredoomed to failure. The same remark applies to similar onslaughts on the British line. The Allies have time on their side. They have money on their side. Even with Russia ''written off," they have man power on their side. Win they must and will. Our own opinion is that although at present there are no signs of any sudden collapse of the Huns, such collapse is bound to come. When once the Hun armies on the West start a retreat, it will be dramatically sudden and . swift. The Kaiser and his

statesmen may continue to talk boastfully about final victory, but the persistent if very varying peace propaganda which emanates from Berlin gives the lie direct to all their bluff and bluster. This year, so we hope and firmly believe, will see the Hun compelled to put down his cards and sue for peace. The Allies have by far the stronger hand and will assuredly win the game.