WHY WE DO NOT WANT "PEACE."

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 253, 23 February 1917, Page 3 (Supplement)

WHY WE DO NOT WANT "PEACE."

VICTORY NOW MORE ASSURED

THAN EVER

By F. A. McKENZIE

(Mr. F. A. McKenzie, the well-known war correspondent and writer on military subjects, reviews the situation, and tells us his reasons for believing that victory for the Allies is more assured to-day than ever Wore.)

" What is the use of telling us to bo cheerful," grumbled my neighbour. " We have reached the blackest moment in the war since before the battle of the Marne. Submarines are blockading our coasts. Our 'big push' on the Homme failed to accomplish anything like what we expected. "The defeat of Rumania is a disgrace to all the Allies. France, bled white in man-power, blames us because we are allowing her to hold so much ot tho Western line. Russia lias just passed through a very nasty crisis. Coal is £lO a ton in Milan, and the Parisian can scarcely obtain enough f*"l for a small fire. * Keep smiling, indeed! And yet the situation, despite all disappointments, gives us good reason for hope. Victory Is more assured to-day than ever befo:e, provided we do our part and hold together. Let mo tell you why I think so. One of the first lessons to learn in the art of war is, that when you have fought to the point of exhaustion your onemy is feeling as bad as you are, and probably worse. Then is the moment to go in and hit again. Every boxer knows this. I have seen it demonstrated, time after time in actual war. Twelve years ago at the battle of Liaoyang the army that I accompanied was so exhausted after fighting continuously for twelve days'that when our stretcher-bearers stubbed their toes against a stone while carrying in tho wounded they would let their burdens fall. We seemed to hav? reached th, o end of our strength and to have failed. Just then Oyama called oi his men for a little further push, with the result that the battle was won and the fate of the Far East changed for all time. A few weeks back, standing on tho banks of the Vser Canal, some Belgian officers to'd me now the German advance had been stayed there. ''Our men were done in," said one. Attack had followed attack, until we were almost choked with our own wounded and tiiead. There came a night when we admitted to one another that if the Germans attacked again next morning they would be able to walk through us. Wo could do no more. But the Germans did not come again next morning. They had had enougn the day before. Wo had held on half a day longer than they could." At the Marne, at the battles of Ypres and Verdun and many another struggle in th : s war it has been the same. The tide that fights on when things are blackest wins 1

Things ai-o not at the blackest with us, or anything bke the blackest. Our financial position is such that we oan bear the cost of at least two years more or war; we still have untouched vast resources of man-power here and in the Dominions; we have broken the Zeppelin menace and the submarine blockade can, and will in the end, l>e overcome.

NOT MUCH TO GRUMBLE AT. How much real hardship is there in Britain to-d,ay? The average citizen is inclined to grumble because he has to take a sausage for breakfast in place of a couple of eggs, since eggs are so dear. The housewife thinks herself hardly used if she has to go round hall a dozen shops and spend more than she wishes in order to buy a pound <# white sugar. Hardship! Let the boys in the trenches tell you what hardship really is!

Look at what is happening in Germany. Despite the utmost concealment of the real facts, the truth about the internal condition there is becoming more and more known. Germany has become a. land of thin and hungry folk. Her vital resources arc !>cginning to run dry.

The first positive evidence that Ger nun rulers themselves the situation with apprehension was the sudden appointment of Hindenburg to the se.upreme command ot the land and sea forces. Hindenburg is the man tor a tremendous effort. Strong and unscrupulous, a popular hero, capable of seeing things big, doing them on a big scale and sweeping aside all timorous opposition. Ho has done as well as any man could under existing circumstances, but all his sireesses have not altered the fundamental facts of tho situation. What are these facts? There are two, the shortage of men and the terrib!o and growing shortage of tood Something has l>oon dene to solve tho man-power problem by compelling Belgian and Polish civilians to labour. The food shortage, however, dominates the situation. Even the conquest of Ru mania can supply no more than temporary relief during the coming winter. Tho potato crop has failed. German farmer', lacking imported manures, have not been able to obtain full crops from their land. The best of the cattle disappeared from the country over a yenr ago. The spectre of famine hangs over Germany, famine threatening an already weakened people.

Kor months past prominent neutrals visiting Berlin have boon urged by authorises of all kinds to u,"O their influence for peace. Tno statesmen —as apart from the soldiers—-and the groat business organisers of tho Empire, have no delusions as to their fato unless intervention comes.

Hindenbiihgism had one real hope of success. Tt seemed that it might, by the strong effort of ln>t autumn, break tho determination or weaken tho unity of tho Allies. There came a moment when there were signs that this might happen. Pejicc parlies set to work stealthily in the verv inner circles in Russia, frame and Britain. But in each of thee- three countries the lir.st echo of the whiter of peace brought out the real spirit of tho peop-'u. in Russia the have gone. Kranee has reconstituted her (lovernnient lor the more effective prosecution of the war. Britain's answer to tho peace propagandists wc all know.

\\'i lament our,blunders and we well may. luqt our blunders have not nffoetel t.h.e fundamental situation. Germany is in a cleft istick. She may st'll make mighty efforts in the ivf' k-i that are ahead, mightier than any yet attempted. But her own statesmen can read the handwriting on tho wall, and know that their only none I'es in peacy Keep smiing! There is a good cause lor g' od cheer. K. A. MeKFVZIK.