Life — May 9, 1918 — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

MAY 9, 1918 “* While there is Life there's Hope"* VOL. 71 No, 1854 Published by LIFE PUBLISHING J. A. Mircurit, Pres’t. 17 West Thirty. rst Street, COMPANY A. Miture, Secty and Treas, New York English Offices, Rolls House, Breams Bligs., London, KE. C, HE tinue to drive in on the Western front where they are ac- cessible to the Allies and can be killed with least incon- venience. They are being killed in very large numbers, Nothing could be more satisfactory if it were not such a dirty job to kill them, and one so costly in lives of worthy men who do it. Besides that, in some places they have driven farther than is convenient, particularly at this writing in the vi- cinity of Ypres, which memorable and illustrious town is having a hard ex- perience, and is liable, and at times seems likely, to pass out of British pos- session, leaving the nearby channel ports so much more accessible to the invaders. Nevertheless there is plenty of fight- ing still between the Germans and lais and Dunkirk, and before saying good-bye to those important ports, as Germans con- some observers have been inclined to do, it is just as well to wait until the Germans have got them, There is a good deal besides ground between the devil and the deep sea in that quarter... Of course, the Germans are not press- ing all the urgent proceedings in France that they are busy with out of mere appetite for French territory. We all understand that they hope to crush France by this onset and win the war. They have had to make this effort be- cause they can’t settle down to any- thing, or have real comfort, until they have cleaned up Francey Britain, Italy and the United States. They have Aus- tria, Turkey, huge provinces of Russia, Belgium, Servia, Rumania and various other convenient states subdued and oc- cupied, and can seize Holland and Denmark the moment their other en- gements permit, but this engagement with the French, British, Italians and Americans (as also with the Portu- guese and Japan nd others) hangs on as a bar to their gratifications and does not admit of postponement. If the submarines had starved out Britain and kept the Americans at home, the Germans need not have hurried unless they were short of food. But as it is, with the Allies fed and stocked up with necessaries, and a big American army trained and really getting over, they can't wait. all see that. We all realize, or ought to, that back of this Ger- man effort there is desperation bred of the knowledge that if they can’t win now they can never win. And we are satisfied that they can’t win now, and. SO we can possess our souls in some sort of patience so long as we can feel that our end of the job is being de- cently furthered. And most of us just now think it is, and that the worst of our struggle with chaos, incompetence and inefficiency is over. To be sure, the St. Paul, newly repaired, tipped over quite untimely at her pier the other day, and somebody must have won the iron cross. But in spite of things like that, we are in the war with some weight. We've got the men; we've got the moncy and all it stands for, and somehow or other the managers scare up a good many ships. Men and feod are the vital needs of the moment in France, They are both going over from here in quantity. We know that, and in that there is comfort. Even though the Germans have Ypres before these lines reach readers, and far longer casualty lists than we have had begin to come to us, those are only details, and what other people have had to bear we can bear as it comes our turn, The only way for us to take this war is to take it as it comes, and as Americans be eternally thankful, night and morning and noon- time, that we are in it, and t seem to have got into it before too Tate. UST now our country seems to be going along steadier than any other, as it ought to, for it is in the least peril, and has suffered nothing yet worth talking about. Russia continues to throw successive fits, and emits ru- mors of new revolutions; Austria wabbles visibly, and one prime minister there succeeds another; the British ministry shows signs of changing and turning to harder characters, and France leans on the strength of a res- olute old man, But Mr. Wilson’s ad- ministration is going stronger than usual, Complaint has brought forth some good fruits, Mr. Schwab's ap- pointment as boss shipbuilder and Mr. Ryan's as manager of airplane con- struction have greatly heartened some of the despondent, A lagging Con- «ress seems about to pass the Overman the President power to , and creaking cordage our blessed sails are Dill and. give cut red tap seems to filling. Our food managers are doing well, and the people are backing them cheer- fully, subsisting on what can be spared for them and letting the best food go forth to battle. But the greatest solace that stays our souls is the belief that our men are going over in force enough: to meet the final pinch, and the fact that they are now actually present and fighting in respectable numbers where they are needed. say More and more every day the coun- ry scems to grow together. There is comicbookseg