The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1914. AN ASTONISHING WAR.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 53, 29 October 1914, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1914. AN ASTONISHING WAR.

When the last mails left London trading in the commercial markets remained at a minimum, and it was not expected that there would be very much improvement until affairs settled down to the drastic conditions imposed by the war. The Commercial Record, a leading trade journal, remarks that witli such Titanic forces engaged in the great war, commerce had, not surprisingly, become quite disorganised, while pushed out of its ordinary channels. The same authority holds, however, that British traders are afforded considerable consolation by the. fact that trade in Germany must of a necessity be completely crippled. Developments in the earlier stages pointed to a steady inroad being made by the Germans into French territory by its right -wing, which may ho taken as quite in keeping with their overwhelming numbers employed, and their absolute prepared-1 ness for war though no doubt exists

but that ultimate victory will go to the Allies, as any termination the other way is quite unthinkable.' TheRecord goes on to say; ‘‘Let us for a few moments review the Teutonic; side of the picture. Thousands ot Germans will have been slaughtered, many more thousands maimed for life, German industry will have received a check it will Lake, many long years to recover, the public debt and taxation of the country will have been increased to an extent that no one can now calculate. But all these evils, | together with total disorganisation of, the world’s trade, will be as nothing to the evils of the war spirit.of Germany having burst forth triumphantly and of its effervescence and success

having corrupted, as they must do, the mind of the nation. Neither liberty nor. any liberal ideas can flourish ■'oilier in nations obviously or consciously dependent, or in the nation that holds them in dependence. In order to satisfy her own cravings tor excite-ment.-Germany will have 1 to keep perpetually dictating to lOnrope in ;«eiioral, the United States, or at least

to conquered France. Wo know only too woll tho meaning of t.ho Prussian military spirit. External politics will once more absorb all tin' tlmnglits of the Gormans, and anything like domestic reform and free Government in Germany will be made quite impossible for at least two generations. As to the rest of the world, the success of Germany would bo an incontestable

loss. Tfc would deteriorate tlip minds ; of men by exhibiting the spectacle of j a nation making a groundless war to its profit. It would torment the nations still claiming to be independent of Germany with tbo thought of how far it would bo possible to put up with her claim to decide the opinion and actions of Europe. It would completely crush 'the rising liberties and nascent prosperity of the smaller

nations; iu Europe. it would leave Europe disheartened, poor, and > alarmed. On tiie other hand, as Germany lights merely to show that she i is u;e mistress of Western Continental | Europe, it is diificuli to see how she can very well retire from the contest easily and with honor, if the Allies oven only make a successful defence. The war must, therefore, either be a long one, or if it is a short one owing l to the advance of Germany, it must; do infinite harm to Germany and to

the wijrld. In whatever way we look at it, the prospect of Germany claiming any' incontestable .superiority over the combined forces brought against her is, to put the thing mildiv, incomprehensible, and it cannot oe wondered at that the realisation of such a war witnessed the entire Universe stricken with astonishment.”