Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-01-28
Are Lining Up
for Bitter Clash.

terribleness will end the struggle
which has been raging for well more
thanstwo years.
Entente powers once more have made
IL plain that they cannot now listen to
the pIeadings OF the spirit OF peace.
They declare that the war cannot stop
until the foe has completely been van
cuished and German militarism. that in
fluence which has ben feared for dec
AIDES. has been eliminated. The entente
powers have reiterated, even during the
past week. that there can be no lasting
end to the struggle until those influ-
ences which encouraged the present war
have been scotched completely.
Germany. on the other hand. conf
dent in her evident military prowess,
standing as she does today on enemy
soil. in practically every arena of war.
but suffering keenly at home, well
comes the advent of peace. Though
struggle. 1t hardly will be with the
spirit of further conquest for con-
quests sake, but conquest for defense
purposes solely. Today Germany real
ICES that the hour Of the supreme test
draws imminent. She, fguratively
expected attack from every quarter.
Germany realizes that with her in
ternal problems, such as the keen food
shortage, her trials in every direction
of the past will fade into insigniicance
when compared to the obstacles that
must be overriden during the coming
eight months.
Those Germanic armies which have
carried the standards onto enemy soil,
there to impale them quite firmly, are
to receive the test of fire.
fne soldiers of all nations battling
all along the hundreds of miles of bat
tie jine stretching from the gulf of
s<I hA no .hA ,tr,- t,a
fglJting forces which hold down a line
of nearly three hundred miles along
the northern section of Macedonia and
in lower Serbia, the battle units over
the hundreds of kilometers of front ex-
tending from Flanders to Alsace con-
fldently believe as do those in the re-
lions of the near east, that they are
to be plunged into an inferno.
What will come out of the expected
struggle. signs of which already are
cropping out at various points along
the many battle fronts, cannot be de-
termined. In the German mind there
Is no other thought than that the
enemy Will be held. To the entente
may be decided in this terrible con-
hict about to be ushered in.
Whether a verdict is reached or not
the fact remains that present prepara-
lions on 81
Victory Believed sides are
Completely Essential. tive of the
general belief that the war must go on
until victory has been achieved by one
side or the other. This victory may
come during the present year. 1t may
not come, through military might or
economic stress, until another year has
been ushered in or almost out. 1t may
even then go on and CT. President Will
sons speech before the United States Sem
ate. enunciating as it did a gospel of peace
and future bloodless adjustment,
brought forth still further utterances
from all belligerent capitals, making
plain and strongly emphasizing the fact
that the struggle cannot end now.
There must be still another great test
of might-possibly even further ones
.Out Of this discussion there is CLEAN
ed the information that everything Is
ready for the finish fight, be it short or
long. That such final test is welcome
to all Is unQuestioned.
II Germany can hold the entente
armies in check during the coming
year, German hopes of finally convinc-
ing the allies that further bloodshed
| is futile undoubtedly will cause the
Teuton to plan for further endeavor-
unless economic conditions absolutely
forbid. Should the entente armies make
progress In one or several directions
during the coming year, such successes
should they In nowise be conclusive
will go to inculcate the idea in the al
lied mind that the enemy Is weakening
and a little greater pressure finally will
| bring about the desired objective. So
I 1t may be seen that unless the coming
expected heavy military operations are
| not clean-cut and conclusive. this war
s. Is liable to slip on into still another
year. each side interpreting immediate
| ly impending moves on the military
chessboard as favorable omens.
Both belliGerent groups desire vic