THE DECISIVE YEAR.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15869, 7 April 1917, Page 8

THE DECISIVE YEAR.

STATEMENT BY SIR DOUGLAS HAIG. Towards the end of February there was much discussion in England, as cablo messages told us at tho time, concerning an interview -with Sir Douglas Haig which appeared in tho Paris "Journal." "The German front in the West will undoubtedly be broken by tho FranpoBritish armies," said Sir Douglas. "And 'that, you think, might happen this year?" "This year will bo decisive in th< sense that the decision of the war ot the field of battlo will bo witnessed; that is to say, that wo shall see the event after which Germany will appear as beaten in tho military sense. it i~ possible that tho year of decision wil; also be tli© year of peace. Of course wo all hop© it may T>o so; and w© shall do all we can to "bring it about. "For tho sak© of our own tranquility and for the security of the world, there must bo no peac© without victory, without complete victory; for an incomplete victory, a lame and premature peace, would learo military Germany the posssibility of preparing ft 'terrible levenge in the very near future. After having attacked England, you would see her back again on your frontiers more greedy than ever of blood and of conguest. Let us beware of tho suspicious manoeuvres of an enemy who reels that he is lost, whether he speaks of peace or whether he seeks to divide us.''