The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-11-09

the allies, though thIs is denied by the
London press. However, the military
leaders Of the entente are now awake
20 the Importance Of the Italian front,
and there are indications that they
will concentrate much of their efforts
there during the winter. when opera
lions In Flanders must necessarily be
halted. This will be In accordance
with the advice Of an italian general
given many months ago and hitherto
| ignored. The question OF joint allied
war council TO direct operations on all
fronts Is made more imperative by the
italian affair and may be settled at
the coming conference In Paris. Ev-
eryone admits that lack of team work
has been responsible for most of the
reverses the allies have suffered.
II Is expected that Germany will
now make a new suggestion Of peace,
as she has done after each of her sue
cessful drives, and also II is expected
that the allies will reject 1t with scorn,
as In the past
In Russia the peace agitation Is
dying down because of the German
operations in the Gulf Of RjSa and the
peril OF the Gulf Of Finland ports and
of petrograd. The crisis there served
to strengthen the hands of the Ker-
ensky government and even the ex-
IRENE Socialists and other radical fac
lions are urging the army to resist
| further German advances. There was
| little fighting on the Russian front last
week, and the German fleet apparently
had abandoned or postponed its plans
TO enter the Gulf OF Finland.
Good Gains In Flanders,
Attention must not be wholly dl-
verified from the western front by the
invasion OF italy. There was desper.
ate fighting In Flanders In the course
Of which the French and British, with
| the efficient aid OF the Belgian troops
made some very Important gains, In
! the swamps south of DlXmude the
| French and Belglans took Mercken
peninsula and the village Of Luyghem
! little farther south the British kept
up their attacks on the part of the
passchendaele ridge still held by the
Germans, and the Canadians led in an
offensive which carried them almost
into tbs town itself. Further progress
on this line VIII probably result In the
capture OF Roulers. an important rail
center only six miles northeast Of the
ridge and already dominated by the
British guns
Along the Aisne and In the verdur
region the French successfully with
stood all the attacks OF the crown
prince and inflicted heavy losses OF
him.
The allied aviRtors were especially
busy during the week, dropping many
tons OF explosives on munitlon facto
rles, depnts, railway stations, aer
dromes and all other military objec
tiyes within their reach. They do moi
seem yet 60 have started on cam
pulgn OF retallatory raids on German
towns. but that may come quickly
since Germany on Wednesday nigh
sent some thirty airplanes In sever
groups across the water TO bomb Lon
don and other parts OF England. Als'
the German avlutors made few NOR,
raids on Nancy.
In Africa aud Mesopotamla the Brit
lsh made considerable progress las
week. and they also announced tn,
capture Of Beersheba In Palestine,
Count George Won Hertling, prim,
minister OF Bavarls, has been ap
pointed German chancellor, but seem
to have well grounded fears that h,
cannot control a majority OF the reich
stag. Tie Is fully acceptable only I,
the Catholic center group, Helerericl
resigned as vice chancellor and wa
succeeded by Friedrich won Payer.
progressive.
Another U. S, Transport TerpedOed.
on Thursday the navy department
announced that another Amerlcai
transport. the Finland. had heel
struck by a torpedo when homewar,
bound, No one aboard was injured nn
the vessel was So little hurt that sh
returned % port under her own power
Tho sinking of the Antilles hruugh
about au announcement from Secrs
tsry DsRiets that hereafter navs
crews will man all transports carry
ing American soldiers to France. Tn
report az the British admiralty Shove
e marked falling OF In the number o
! submarine victims for the week.
Sir Erie Geddes, first lord OF tn
admiralty, gave parliament some II
tcrestlug facts concerning the subinJ
riRe campaign, stating that betwee
90 and 30 per cent Of the German [
bonts operating In the North sea. N
j Atlantic and the Arctic have bee