“THE POINT OF VIEW.”

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 30, Issue 22, 19 March 1918, Page 8

“THE POINT OF VIEW.”

A LOOK AT THE HEIGHT SIDE OF THE WAR.

Under the above heading, which appears over the iiual part of his most interesting monthly war notes in the American 'Review of Reviews,’ Mr Frank H. Simonds makes some observations that at the moment arc particularly timely. . . . It does not seem to mo that there is a sound basis for real pessimism as to the final outcome of the struggle. Ever since the Marne and Verdun I have believed that the war could have but one ending, and that the defeat of every German purpose which threatened the liberty and safety of the world. To-day I feel more certain than ever of this. At the Marne, at Verdun, and in the period when Russian collapse was coming on and the United States was still neutral there was reason for doubt and pessimism. But not now.

“A great deal of unnecessary pain is caused because of the tendency of people to attach to every stray and passing incident a value which it does not have and to be depressed or elated by the news of days really makes little difference in a war like the present one, in which the whole strength of many nations is engaged. The war may be won by some sudden collapse on the battlefield or some sudden desertion in the Allied camp, but, looking back on the past, it is clear that in similar wars the final victory has come to numbers and wealth; and the nation which sought to gain world supremacy, while its preparations were superior and despite its inferior ultimate resources, has invariably failed and fallen. “The wars of Louis XIV, of Napoleon, and our own Civil War have the same underlying lesson. Nations which lost Austerlitz, Jena, Wagram, Friedland, whose capitals were again and again occupied by Napoleon, could find the courage to go on with the struggle fox liberty, and all Germany’s successes have given her no such advantage over France as Napoleon won in his wars with Prussia, Austria, or Russia. On the other hand, it was ten years before the foes of Napoleon learned the lesson of mutual co-opera-tion; and while they were learning that lesson the French people tired of the bloody sacrifice which attended every victory, and never brought peace. “Last summer it was plain that the German people were weary; and there were to be heard voices whose utterances suggested that the end was not far away. Russian collapse has interrupted the peace agitation in Berlin, and Italian defeat has enabled the military party to get new license. As a consequence wo must expect two more campaigns, one of defence while the United States is getting ready, and one of offense when we arc ready. But our Allies are better able to defend themselves now than in 1914 or in 1916, and Germany is far weaker than when she invaded Belgium or assailed Verdun. “War is like a slow disease, but slow has been the progress of the world patient; there have been no desperate moments in 1917 to compare with those of 1916, and the outlook for the now year is only gloomy because of the pain and agony, the sacrifice and suffering which all must see are inevitable. IVc see our own sufferings and those of our Allies, but we know that the German’s sufferings must be far greater because of the conditions under which ho lives. Europe could not conquer Louis XIV, but at the end of the war of Spanish Succession Louis had been cured of his great ambition to rule Europe, and France sank back exhausted from her sacrifices doomed to the terrible scourge of the Revolution. THE OBJECT OF THE WAR.

“The object of the war is to destroy the German belief that his people are a superior people to whom it is permitted to break every law and violate every convention of humanity and decency in the effort to dominate mankind. Peace with the German, while he holds to this doctrine, is impossible on any terms, because no agreement Would outlast his return to strength. And as this German view was a national view, it can only be abolished when the whole nation have been brought to surrender it. Lincoln in our Civil War saw that there could be one ending; that compromise was impossible with those who were determined to disrupt the nation and who made their main demand secession.

“In this war we have passed the Antietam and the Gettysburg; we have escaped the greatest peril; and it is now merely a question of time until by suffering, if not by conquest, the German people are driven to abandon that portion of their doctrine which threatens the safety of all nations. 'Week by week and month by month the casualtylists are the most potent influence. Germany is bleeding to death; her sons are falling to British, French, and Italian guns; they fell to Russian and they will presently fall to American. Her enemies are dividing their losses; she cannot divide hers. Last year the French lost 300,000 in their conflicts with the Germans; the British, perhaps 800,000; but the Germans lost not less than 1,000,000, and probably 1,250,000. In 1916 he lost 700,000 against the French, an equal number against the British, and 350,000 against the Russians'.and his other foes. In the same year the British and French losses were perhaps 750,000 apiece. In two years Germany has lost 3,000,000 men in battle; Prance a little more than 1,000,000, the British 1,500,000. But Germany Cannot continue to loso at this rate against these enemies, and in 1919 sha will have to pay tribute to the United States also.