human
But we're not doing anything,
gpt
We're alive anyway, said Earl.
human
That's something.
gpt
But why don't they launch a great big offensive and drive these Germans out of our country? demanded Dubois.
human
Just sitting here in the trenches is not going to free France.
gpt
Remember this, Dubois, Jacques reminded his impulsive countryman.
human
It takes thousands of guns and millions of shells to make the kind of an attack you are talking about.
gpt
Haven't we got them?
human
Not yet, I'm afraid. General Joffre won't send his men out until he has sufficient backing for them either.
gpt
Well if we haven't got enough guns and ammunition, persisted Dubois,
human
It takes time, smiled Leon.
gpt
You can't build factories and teach people how to manufacture powder and shells over night, you know.
human
Germany seems to have enough,
gpt
Yes, agreed Leon,
human
What would they have done if it had not been for the United States? demanded Earl breaking into the conversation.
gpt
We've sent millions of dollars' worth of stuff to the Allies.
human
Tell me about that, exclaimed Dubois.
gpt
Is America sending supplies to Germany too?
human
Practically none, I guess,
gpt
But why not? Is it neutral for a country to sell to one side and not to the other?
human
America would sell to Germany just the same as to Russia, France, and England, said Earl.
gpt
The trouble is that Germany can't get the stuff into her country.
human
Because of the English fleet?
gpt
Exactly. The English fleet has swept the German navy off the ocean. The only place left for them is the Baltic.
human
That's wonderful, isn't it?
gpt
Yes, it is, and most people don't give England half the credit she deserves for that. Just because her fleet doesn't fight a battle every day and do a lot of grandstand work people think it isn't doing anything important. In my opinion it has won the biggest victory of the whole war so far.
human
By keeping the German fleet bottled up you mean?
gpt
That's it, said Earl decidedly.
human
Take the English fleet away and let the German warships come out of their hole and see what would happen to the Allies!
gpt
What would happen?
human
Well first of all they'd stop the shipment of all supplies for us from America. Think what that would mean. Then again they'd soon starve out England and she wouldn't be able to send any more soldiers over here to France.
gpt
They haven't sent so many anyway,
human
Yes, agreed Earl,
gpt
Probably, agreed Dubois.
human
At any rate they helped us a lot at the beginning of the war when the Boches were driving us on the run back towards Paris.
gpt
Then you think it's all right for the United States to sell supplies to the Allies and not to Germany? asked Jacques.
human
I must say that I am glad that is what they are doing anyway.
gpt
Certainly it is all right, exclaimed Earl.
human
It is permitted by international law and every nation in the world has done the same thing at some time or another. Just because this happens to be the biggest war in the history of the world and because as a result the United States is selling more supplies, doesn't change the facts, does it? As I said, we'd sell to Germany just as quickly as to the Allies. Because they can't get the stuff isn't our fault.
gpt
Yea, Earl, you're quite a speechmaker,
human
Isn't what I said true?
gpt
Of course it is. Why if we refused to sell to the Allies now that would mean that we were actively on the side of Germany and nothing we could do would be of greater help to her just now.