Evening journal., 1915-12-27
1915 RcUicuU of the War

the combined Austro-Hungarian and
German offensive this summer was
not sufficiently decisive TO cause the
Car to sue for a separate peace. The
Grand Duke Nicholas saved the great
er part of hes armies, and although
he was removed from his command
because of the loss of Galicia and the
Vistula defenses, he prevented the
Kaiser from compelling the Car to
surrender. The Russian military
failure was followed by the suppress
sion of the Duma, the popular legis-
lative body, and the Council Of the
Empire the bureaucratic legislative /
house. The Car is now governing /
by fiat as a complete autocrat. relying /
neither on the people themselyse nor !
on the bureaucracy.
The year has seen no change of /
| Importance along the western battle |
/ front. The French in Champagne.
and the French and British in Artois
attempted to develop simultaneous
major offensive during the last week
in September, but without success.
The Germans lost a few miles Of
trenches, but they were able to check
the enemy before the drives threaten
ed to compel a general retirement to-
ward the German frontier. The re-
suit of the costly experiment showed
that the Teutonic trenches are not
impregnable, but also revealed the
fact that the Anglo-French general
stats have not solved the problem
OF following up one successful attack
by another in the face Of German
artillery.
year has had disappointing results
for Great Britain, Russia and France.
The Italians, after seven months
, fighting. have not gained as much ter
ritory as Austria offered TO cede iasl
snring in exchange for Italy's fac
nevolent neutrality The principal rae
tor working against Italian success
. has been the superiority whlch trehch
E warfare gives to an army on the de-
E fensive. The Roman government IS
= now facing serious, though subdued'
criticism at home. As the year eIlus'
there are reports that pressure is be-
r ing exerted in favor of the return to
4 mower of the veteran pro-German. eX-
: PREMIER Giolitti. Italy has signed an
= agreement with the other members OF
I. the Ouadruple Entente not to make a
Il separate peace. but if SignOr Giolitt
o were TO be made prime minister he
@ would undoubtedly use his influence loi
@ peace at the earliest moment.
q financial Situation Grows Serious.
: The financial situation among al
r. the belligerents has steadily grown
=. more and more serious as the eX
- lpenses of the conflict during the yea
a have ceaselessly mounted. The tota
Is daily cost of the war is now abou
/, S85. 600 600. two-thirds Of which is he
~ ing paid by the Quadruple Entente. an'
~ one-third by Germany and her allies
- The British, who have been most Law
= ish in their payments, have also beel
- the most sincere in facing the crilca
monetary problems Of the war. Grea
~ Britain alone among the belligerent
~ ~ has begun to shoulder the financia
IN ! burden of the conflict by acceptin
large war taxes. Elsewhere the wa
. is prolonged almost eXcusiyly on boz
II rOwed money. Il is probable that IN
~ exhaustion of golden bullets, and Oh
en- accompanying danger Of economic dis
l- aster will be the principal determinin
le factors in bringing the war to a
G end
iy The food situation i'm Germany an
pc Austro- Germany has become more s.
IN rious this year than last, but has M
ms grown sufficiently hazardous % con
ID pei the TeutOns to accept peace
RI is contributing cause, nevertheless
ng to the persistent desire for peao
oi- which is more apparent in German
su as the year closes than anywhere els
Use A nation which will consent TO Ii
lu- on half rations indefinitely if it
fighting a defensive war, may refu
M a long curtailment of food if the 90
ar ernment has offensive purposes
ord view. As this years fighting drew
uf- an end, Doctor Won Bethmann-H'
md wegg, the German chancellor {
ted clared in the Reichstag that Germa
not was fighting a defensive war to pl
rit- vent herself being crushed by the
1ed lies. But. last August, Doctor He
ied ferich, the German minister of fnan
the announced. also in the Reichstag, Il
'm- Germany's war, expenses would
ans paid by an indemnity collected fro
! to the enemy. The year is closing wit
rks out any disavOwal from Berlin OF Do
'ss- tor Helfferich's intimation OF conque