DURATION OF THE WAR.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1410, 12 June 1915, Page 4

DURATION OF THE WAR.

VIEWS OF THE WORLD’S PRESS. “When will the war end ?” is a much discussed question. Below are given opinions from the press ot the world which have been collected by an American paper. They include views from Great Britain, France, Russia, and Germany. In England, the editor of the Plymouth Western News remarks that “the probable length of the war and the terms of peace are two of the subjects upon which the English press have been requested by the Press Bureau to observe a judicious silence at present.’’ Notwithstanding this fact, however, a number of papers do not hesitate to set a more or less definite date to the termination of hostilities. All forecasts are of a highly optimistic character, and none have the slightest doubt as to the ultimate success of the allies. Practically all the Loudon papers refrain from commenting on the subject. The views of Mr Hilaire Belloc are quoted by the Manchester Daily Dispatch:— “We are unable to tell what the duration of the war may be, but there are factors in the problem which make it certain that the late spring or early summer will be the critical moment.’’ “The war will end when Germany is beaten,” says the Nottingham Guardian. “No sensible person in England would say more than this; no sensible person would say less.” “The general opinion among thoughtful people in this country is that the war may end this year if everything goes well, but is more likely to last into next year,” remarks the Birmingham Daily Post. In Ireland, the Belfast NewsLetter says:—“Lord Kitchener has from the first laid bis policy for a long war —a three years’ war, The one and only standard by which the prospects of the war can be reckoned is the power of the enemy to fight; when that power Is broken the war will end.” The early summer as the moment for peace seemed to be a favourite time with Irish papers. This has been the period set by the Tuam Herald, the Dublin Irish Times, and the WaterfordMunster Express. The voice of Wales is determined. The Cardiff Times and the South Wales Echo do not suggest a date, while the South Wales Daily News declares : “This war shall be waged to a finish—even to the point of ex-

haustion —rather than any one Power should be allowed to overwhelm a smaller State or crush France.” The Scottish viewpoint takes into full account the difficulties that must be encountered before the end Is In sight, and the Edinburgh Evening News thinks : ‘‘Days of anxiety and tension lie before us, but the common enemy of democracy and freedom, and the exponents of the cult of military force now stand at bay, and will be beaten. Events now bear their own interpretation.” The Glasgow Herald says : . , . we may state, disclaiming prophecy as well as all superior mundane sources of knowledge, that the struggle will be ended before three years have elapsed. It is possible, on the other hand, that the allies may be ‘in at the death’ six months hence.” Such are the opinions of the British press, varying to some extent as to the duration of the great conflict, but unanimous in the belief that the struggle will, and should be, persecuted until Germany and her dupes are ultimately deprived of all possibility of subjecting Europe to the menace of domineering militaiism. In Tuesday’s issue will be published the opinions of the French and Russian newspapers, along with the comments of the German press, influenced by the military party.