7 APRIL 1917, Page 3

The services General Smuts is rendering to civilization remind us

of the exclamation of the Civil War officer of the Southern States of America when lie contemplated the present and looked back on the past : " What a terrible thing it is to think we nearly won ! " The opportunity General Smuts has of helping a far wider cause than could ever have been helped by the Boer Republics had they remained in existence may possibly make him feel now as tho American officer did, without being in the least disloyal to the cause for which he fought so sincerely and so bravely. General Smuts has no doubt of the issue of the war. Morally and politically, ho says, Germany is already defeated.