New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1917-12-05
FEAR OFFENSIVE.
ON ALARGE SCALE
Secretary Baker Says Enemy Can
not Endure Much Longer

Washington. Dec. 5.-All the ear
| marks Of the military situation in Eu-
rope indicate that the German Gen
eral Staff contemplates a new Often
! sive on a large scale somewhere in
| Europe.'>
| The inactivity Of the Austro- German
! forces along the italian defensive
! front. the closing Of the Swiss Dor
| der for two weeks, the movement Of
| troops from the Russian front, and
the German counter-stroke near Cam
| brai, are interpreted here as unmis-
taxable evidence Of important German
! military plans. The situation along
| the Russian front is such as to enable
the Germans to move large bodies Of
! troops from that front to the western
! front Or to any other point where the
General Staff desires to undertake an
! offensive.
One suggestion heard In military
| circles here is that the German Stafc
thought perhaps the Italian offensive
| might draw a sufficient number Of
| British and French reinforcements
| from the western front to the Italian
of Flanders. However, it is know that
the British and French now have a
numerical superiority of men and guns
along the French and Flanders front
and were able to send reinforcements
to Italy without endangering the in
tegrity of the western front.
In his weekly review of the military
situation in Europe, issued last night,
Secretary Baker himself takes the
view, based on information possessed
by the General Staff and the War Col
lege, that Germany is preparing
new Winter offensive and large-scale
military operations of mobile char
acter.
Secretary's Statement.
Secretary Bakers statement follows:
The sustaining feature of the
geenra military situation today is to be
found in the ever-increasing mobility
Or action OF the forces engaged.
''Statc warfare is giving way to &C
tivity Of movement.
ut seems that a decision is being
sought by, the enemy, who realizes
that he cannot endure for a much
longer period tn strain of trench war
fare imposed by the Allies in the west.
trail Powers in massing considerable
forces in order to invade Italy-a con-
centration of troops made possible by
the internal situatiin in Russia. This
offensive was undertaken to crush the
Italians and compel them to sue for
peace.
Give weeks of desperate fighting
has brought them no nearer their real
objective in this theater.
The Italian armies suffered serious
reverses in the early stages of the
battle. They were compelled to give
way, and, for a time, the military sit
uation along the Italian front was
serious. But the enemy had under
estimated the resisting power OF the
Italians and discounted the splendid
morale which their forces would dis
play when the full magnitude of the
impending crisis was visualized
THE hoped-for resolution in Italy.
which had been sedulously fomented
by German propagandists, and which
was an important part of the German
plan of invasion, failed to material1ze.
1.-THE Italians, by a magnificent eff
fort, reorganized their broken forces,
rapidly, reformed their cadets, and
backed by the Allies, were able,
single handed, to check the Austro-
German invasion.
"It would be futile to underestl-
mate the great losses, both of men ano
material suffered by the 1taHans.
These losses should serve to set forth
in bolder relief the heroic efforts OF
these elements of the Italian Army
which were able to thwart the plans OF
the Central Empires.
1.-THE closing Of the Swiss frontier
for two weeks may indicate that the
enemy is transporting large troops,
both men and guns, to the west.
THE enemy is constantly detaching
large contingents from the eastern
theater. All good troops which can
possibly be spared are being dispatch
cd to other zones of operations.
80 that, though the season is not
nrontious for engaging in military
enterprises on large scale, yet, ow-
ing to the imperative necessity for a
continuance of this mobility, further
offensives are to be anticipated.
ON the other hand, the Allies will
give the enemy no respite and any Of
fensive undertaken by the Germans
will be promptly met by counter
stroke of greater severity.
1.-THE battle Of Cambria continues
with sanguinary intensity.
1.-THE enemy after the first onrush
of the British, by bringing up fresh
forces, has been able to bolster up his
weakened defenses which for a time
;nonerilled the security of the entire
Hindenburg line.