The Washington times., 1915-12-27

III tUG SUM- NH NAlN GiohE VI NhR NA
Of 1916 merges into the second winter Of
the European war. But the seas still
remain shut to the Austro-Germans,
and economic distress and food scarcity
are exerting more pronounced pres
sure for peace in the central empires
than among the other belligerent ma
tlons.
The primary cause OF the war has
been lost this year to both OF the orig
inal participants, The. conflict began
over the irreconcilable Balkan diner
ences Of Russia and Austria Hungary.
Each power wanted to be supreme In
southeastern Europe. The end OF the
fighting In 1915 finds Russia held In
check beyond the Balkan border, while
Austria Hungary is playing q minor
military part In Serbia under the dlrec-
ton of Marshal Won Mackensen and the
German general stah. German inhu-
ences arc now dominant in the Balkans.
The Kaiser has wrested the first prize
of the war from the Slavs themselves
and from his own southern ally as we'll
From Berlin to Bagdad.
Bulgaria's entrance into the conflict
on the side of the Germans has peen
the years most important development.
The military consequences which nave
followed Bulgaria's action have given to
the Germans a clear road from Berlin
to Bagdad. The Mesopotamian metrop-
oils has long been marked by German
statesmen to become the Berlin OF the
middle east and the center OF Ger
many's place in the sun.
The years events having opened TOT
Germany the rear entrance, INTO Rag
dad. the Kaiser must continue 10 nght
to the point of exhaustion Tor perna- a.
nent possession of this precious right oil
way The British feet can prevent Ger
many from expanding overseas, but II
cannot block the road to the new en-
pire in the cast. This Is the dominant
reason for Germany's interest In Bag
dad
An AnElo-Indian expedition, after
twelve months toll northward through
Mesopotamia from the Persian guit, Is
now trying to enter Bagdad by the
front door. But the Turks under Ger
man leadership have thrust the invaders
ninety miles to the south ofS Bagdad
and the city at the close of the year
remains safe for the Germans. Never
theless, during the years lighting the
British have captured the Garden OF
Eden and other territory between Lhe @
TiEris and Euphrates rivers, greatly de-
sired by Germany. II the oerman
dream Of Germanic empire In the
middle cast is to como true, the dtstrlcl
between Bagdad and the Garden oi
Eden, $50 miles to the SOUTH mus
either be won by a new military ofen-
sivc, or purchased in the peace confer
ence after the war.
Balkan Odds Favor Germans.
The military developments OF the year
make It certain that the Russian beaI
will not be able to take his drink OF
warm water at the Persian gulf; and
| little less than a miracle must now hap
pen to give the Car Constantinople fol-
an outlet to the unfroZen seas. The
british effort to enter Constantlnople By
way Of the Gallipoli peninsula has fall
cd during the year. and Great Britain
Is now reluctant to undertake second
costly experiment in southeastern Eu
rope for RussiA's sake. The ease viii
which the Austro Germans and BulSa
rians have been able to oveTrun Serbia
| apparently has been due to Great Brit
aims dlsinclination to risk wasting hel
/ strength in n major Balkan offensive
| The odds all favor the Germanic allies
| in the Balkans because of their unim
peded lines of communication.
| Pritish interest in the Balkan cam
paIgn Is primarily due to its beartni
on the security Of Egypt. Lord kitch
ener's visit a. the LeVant during th'
latter part OF the year and his quic!
return. seem TO have created beIle
| in London that Egypt is not IN AM
| immediate jeornrdy. Tho British nov
apparently :IaVc concluded that Egyp
can be better defended along the Suei
Canal than in the Balkans. The ad
IvantaEe OF communication, which th'
| Germans possess in the Balkans
| would pass to the British IL the Ger
mans and TURKS were to attempt al
offensive by crossing the desert t.
the east OF Su"z.
Car Presses England.
! Tho Russians. however. arc urgentl,
pressing Great Britain 10 pursue tn
| Balkan campaign. Otherwise, tn
Czar will probably be the wars prin
cipal loser. His own troops, waiting
as the year ends, to invade BulGari
by way OF Eoumania, can hardl,
prove equal to- the task, unassistet
The Austro Germans. Bulls arians, an
| Turks have certainly 700. 900 me-
available for Balkan operations an,
This force might possibly be increase
10 a million, tnQuestionRbly differ
ences of opinion have arisen amonj
the allies during the year because n
divergent Balkan military policies
The conflicting interests have no
been reconcilcd i'm detail as the yea
ends.
Russia's defeat on her own soil b
the combired Austro- -Hungar an
German offensiVes this summer wa
not sufficiently decisive to cause tn
Car TO sue fnr a separate peace
Grand Duke Nicholas saved the great
er part of his armies. and although n
was removed from his command be
cause OF the loss of Galicia and tn
Vistula defenses. he prevented tn
Kaiser from compelling tho Car I
surrender. Tho Russian military fail
urc was followed by the suppressio
OF the dumu. the popular legislatiV
body, and the council of the empire
the bureaucratic, Legislative house
The Gear Is now governing by nat n
a complete autocrat. relying neithe
on tho people themselves nor on tn
Bureaucracy.
The year has seen no change OF i'm
portance along the western battle
front. The French in Champagne. an
the French and British in Artois al
tempted to develop a simultaneou
major offensive during the last wee