There is no doubt he has overwhelming reasons. There is the economic
condition of his country and the critical economic condition of his
allies. He is now at the height of his power, and Russia is at the
least, while America has not yet come in in its strength. So this year
the enemy may put forth something which approaches his full strength.
But soon he will grow feebler and weaker in comparison with the allied
forces.
[Illustration: Representatives of the Central Powers at Brest-Litovsk
(from left to right): Gen. Hoffmann of the German Army; Count Czernin,
Austro-Hungarian Foreign Minister, Talaat Pasha, Turkish Grand Vizier,
and von Kuehlmann, German Foreign Minister
(_International Film Service_)]
[Illustration: Panorama of Venice as seen from an airplane in wartime]
Everything, therefore, points to the definite determination of Germany
to put the whole of her resources into seeking a military decision this
year, and this means a prolonged battle from the North Sea to the
Adriatic, with Germany and Austria throwing in the whole of their
strength.
There are still seven or eight months within which the fighting can
continue, and everything depends upon keeping our strength right to the
end, whatever the strain upon our resources may be.
With American aid we can do it. But, even with American help, we cannot
feel secure unless we are prepared ourselves to make even greater
sacrifices than we have hitherto made. I know what the Government wish.
I know also what will happen if the demand which the Government is
putting forward is not responded to.
It is idle to imagine, as some people very lightheartedly seem to think,
that you have got an unlimited reservoir of man power in this or in any
belligerent country. We have already raised in this country for military
and naval purposes very nearly six million men. We cannot raise here the
same proportion of men per population as you can in other belligerent
countries. I have repeatedly emphasized that in the House of Commons.
We have the greatest navy in the world, the command of the seas depends
not merely for ourselves, but for our allies, upon the efforts we put
forward. That is not only a question of manning the fleet: it is also a
question of building, of adding to the numbers of ships, and of
repairing the ships. Then you have got a mercantile marine, without
which the Allies could not continue the struggle for a single month.