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<18 Beech Range, Levenshulme, Manchester,>
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As regards the war, no doubt [OOF]| you are kept well informed of all developments. [OOF]| My view is that it will last another four or five [OOF]| months. The preparations are on a gigantic scale. [OOF]| The British army now consists of fully three [OOF]| millions of men, and every day for many weeks [OOF]| past scores of thousands have been crossing the [OOF]| Channel to France; and the ammunition, food, and [OOF]| war equipment is prodigious as this country is [OOF]| making and sending over, not only the necessaries [OOF]| for the British, but a considerable percentage of [OOF]| the ammunition and general equipment, including [OOF]| clothings, for the French and other of the [OOF]| Allies.
Very severe as the fighting has [OOF]| been, it will be much more severe when the frost [OOF]| goes; that will be in a month's time, or just [OOF]| about the time this letter reaches you. Then will [OOF]| begin a series of battles, probably lasting for [OOF]| three months. The Allies' work, of course, will [OOF]| be the driving of the Germans out of France and [OOF]| Belgium. If things go favourable for the Allies, [OOF]| they may do this inside of two months, and then [OOF]| should soon drive the Germans to the Rhine; but [OOF]| to cross the Rhine will be a task so stupendous [OOF]| that many doubt whether it will ever be crossed [OOF]| by the Allied Forces; but, assuming the Rhine is [OOF]| reached, it should be sufficient to negotiate for [OOF]| settlement. If other views prevail, and the war [OOF]| is kept up with a view to reaching Berlin, that [OOF]| may take years; but the revolutionary forces will [OOF]| be at work, making such wearisome and diabolical [OOF]| work impossible ~~ at least, so I think.
[OOF]|The Germans have lost very heavily in men, but [OOF]| they still have four millions of sturdy fighting [OOF]| men, and the Austrians nearly as many, though [OOF]| perhaps not so sturdy. Besides these, well [OOF]| trained and of the right age, Germany can call up [OOF]| another three millions if it becomes a case of [OOF]| endurance; and as the other countries also have [OOF]| large populations, if the fighting crowd alone [OOF]| are to decide conditions, we may look forward to [OOF]| several years of warfare; but I conclude that [OOF]| July or August will witness the finish of it.
[OOF]|These are the times when those who are [OOF]| determined to help in ushering in a better system [OOF]| of society need all their tact and courage. To [OOF]| know when and how to act in order to achieve is [OOF]| what is especially needed now. This year will [OOF]| certainly witness drastic changes; it is for us [OOF]| to be ready.
I'm glad to tell you there is [OOF]| very little hatred of the German people amongst [OOF]| the British workers, not even with the soldiers [OOF]| and those newly enlisting. I never knew less, and [OOF]| although militarism is dominant, the military [OOF]| spirit is not so.