The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-12-28

tANffAN ~ pAhA fA0t VI NAbVlp
and immense quantities Of supplies,
and for days the German artillery was
excessively active. Various feeling-out
movements were undertaken against
the French without success, and on
Wednesday the Germans made three
violent attacks on the British between
Bullecourt and Queant. The first two
were repulsed and the third gave the
enemy possession OF an already oblit-
Grated trench at the apex OF the angle
in the British lines.
This, OF course, was not the main at
tack planned by Won Hindenburg, who,
II was believed, would soon start his
greatest offensive on the west In two
years, with the assistance of many
Austrian divisions. The British and
French were on tiptoe 70 meet 1t, and
Il was taken for granted that some at
least OF General Pershing's American
forces would have part in the battle.
Indeed, some observers predicted that
an attempt would be made to smash
that part Of the line toward Alsace
where most Of the Americans have
been stationed. Others believed the
main attack Of the Germans would be
delivered against the French between
Reims and yerdun.
italian Front Seems Safe.
For several days the Austrians, Hun.
garians and Germans made continuous
and heavy assaults on the Italians be-
tween the plave and Brenta rivers
north OF Monte Grappa The fighting
was severe and the losses large, but
the enemy made slight impression on
the Italian line, gaining precarlous
foothold In some positions on Monte
Spinoneia and Col 0rso, The Italians
are lighting with the utmost determine
ton and are greatly cheered by the
prospect of American help. On Thurs
day large number Of American am
bulance men with their cars left Rome
for the Plave river front. II Is inter.
estia@ TO note that the first American
shot against Austria was fired by Rep
resentattve Tlnkham Of Massachusetts,
on the lower plave. On Invitation Of
an Italian officer he sent big shell
hurtling across to the Austrian line.
regardless Of the fact that IL the enemy
should capture him he could be exc.
cuted as franc tireur,"
Bearing out the statement that The
Teutonic effort In Italy has exhausted
itself Is the welcome news that heavy
snow Is falling in the mountains III the
west end of the front, rendering diff,
cult the further transportation of men
and material The Italians, however
expect 20 hold the enemy by strength
Of arms rather than with the mid of ma
ture.
The Italian navy rs doing It's part
in the defense aud on Sunday eight q
torpedo boat flotilla entered shN har
Dor OF Trieste and sank two Austrian
battleships, one OF them being the
Wien.
Occupation Of Jerusalem.
The occupation of Jerusalem by Gen
eral Allenby's expedition caused grea
rejoicing among Christians and Jew
Of the civilized world. The event ha
more than a sentimental value, for tn
possession OF the Holy City by tn
British makes safe the Suez canal anI
| provides them with base from whicI
10 threaten seriously the Turks to tn
east aud north. In conjunction witt
the British operations In Mesopo
tamia. Allenby's success In Palestine /
very important TO the cause Of the al
lies, As was predicted. Jerusalem wa
taken without the necessity of bon
hardment. and its captors are AIDE
quately protecting the holy places.
In Mesopotamla General Fatkenhayi
launched hts expected offensive. a.
tRcking General Marshars army wit
strong force Of Turks aud German,
The British were compelled TO fal
back across the Dlala and EdRem riN
erS with the enemy In pursuit. 1t
taken for granted that Falkenhayn'
intention Is TO make great effort I
recapture Bagdad
Though the number of British We
sells sunk by submarines. as reports
Sy the admiralty, was sim too large Z,
comfort. those In position to kno
assert that the U-boat campaign real
has proved failure and that the SUI
merslbles are being destroyed or ca
tured almost as fast as Germany ca
build them Moreover, the British shit
yards are now turning out almost
much tonnage monthly as the German
destroy and are fast increasing the
output
investigating oilatory Methods.
The expected and Inevitable alta,
! on our methods OF war preparatl'
came last week In the form Of an |
yestlgation by the senate commit,
on military afrairS Enough OF VIII