Life — November 15, 1917 — page 18: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

NOVEMBER 15, 1917 “While there ts Life there's Hope"" VOL..79 No. 18.9 Published by LIFE PUBLISHING COMPANY J. A. Mircnent, Pres't. A. Mitte, Sec’y and Treas, 17 West Thirty-first Street, New York English Offices, Rolls House, Breams Bldgs., London, F. C. HIS week's Lt goes to press on the eve of clection, and remarks on the interesting politi- cal crisis in this city had better be deferred until we know what happened — and have had time for rumination, To readers of this issue the election will be part of recorded history—un- less, indeed, it is very, very close, as it may be. But the will still be going on. Really, war is getting to be a reliable employment. A young hero writes from a training camp: “I buy more clothes from time to time. Can- not afford to have this war end for a long time now.” But it looks as if his provision of raiment was no more than prudent. General Wood is quoted as saying in Salina, Kansas, on November ist: “It is my guess that the war will last from three to seven years longer.’ Lord Northcliffe told an audience of editors at Kansas City on October asth: “I can see no reason why you can have any hope that we shall have a short war.” It was possible, he said, that he and Governor Capper of Kansas might not live to see the end of it. There is only one day’s difference in their ages, and they are about four months along in their fifty-third year. Barring accidents, legislation and ac tion by the courts, th the war through and something over, and we guess they will Responsible projectors of the war, y ought to sce like Lord Northcliffe and General Wood, feel it very important to impress on the American public mind that Ger- many is. not licked yet, and that though she is over-matched and sure to be beaten, there a lot of hard work to do first, and especially for the people of these states. They fear that baseless expectations of an early peace will do harm by causing disappoint- ment, and that too many Americans, having adjusted their minds to peace, will be willing to accept it on terms that will not do. One can respect that opinion with- out entirely confiding in it. Croaking may do quite as much harm as exces- sive optimism. If the war is going to last so long, we ought to enjoy it all we can, and the chief means of enjoy- ing it is to read that the bulldog in the British seems to be working well in landers, and that the French are tak- ing satisfactory care of the Crown Prince, and that the Americans have got across in visible numbers and seem to be learning how, and that some day not too remote, the job will be done. li it is our dyty to wag our heads at every item of encouraging news and magnify reverses, and begin to dig in at Bridgeport, we can do that. But is it our duty? Our leaders and administrators now- adays are firm for fighting the war through, be it long or short, until Ger- many sues for peace. That is the important thing. Lots of people like to think the job will soon be over, but the same people are resolute in their conviction that before the job is over it must be done. The has been fought for three years and a quarter, mainly by soldiers who have believed it would soon be won. Germany takes great pains to foster that idea. It can hardly be so danger- ous as some of our friends suppose. To be prepared for a long pull is ne sary, but optimism makes for ginger, and ought not to be stamped out. Pritain, one hears, is full of it, and the British have let out all tucks and are fighting like heroes. & the curly wulf! TH = Italian news is better at this writing, The captured guns dimin- ish in size if not in number in the latest dispatches, One hears they were most- ly machine-guns, and that a large pro- portion of the captured men were laborers, not fighting soldiers, The reverse has been serious, of course, but it has not been fatal, and it may be permissible to wait for the end of the story before drawing the deductions. The war is not going to be settled in Italy, but it can be lengthened by German successes there, provided they do not cost more than Germany can afford, It is trying to be so far away from these activities, and not to be able to do more’ about them, but so far as , Italy has plenty of them, and in other particulars relief has gone to her, and some of it from us. ca——w!} soldiers & Waskincton, one hears, is chaos, but creation is gradually proceeding there. The Washington correspondents could doubtless tell us. many interesting stories if they felt at liberty to detach their gags. For that matter, almost anyone who is activ un affairs could print interesting storie if he could tell what he hears. No doubt the German authorities get the x comicbooksfe@in}