Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-12-25
KAISER LAUDS
UNIFIED ARMY
SAYS COOPERATION ON vARI.
Gus FRONTS MAKES PROG.
RESS POSSIBLE.

Amsterdam, Dec. 24.-Emperor Viii
liam visited the front north of Verdul
on Friday, according to Berlin dis
patch, and in an address to the troops
thanked them warmly for their ef
forts.
But for the calm and heroic war
riors on the western 'front.'" he said
''the enormous deployment of German
forces In the east and in Italy never
would have been possible. The fight
er in the west has exposed his body
heroically so that his brothers on the
Dvina and the Isonzo might storm
from victory to victory. The fearful
battles on the bloody hills around Yer
dun were not in vain; they created
new foundations for the conduct Of
the war"
PRAISES COOPERATION. !.
In q speech to the second army on
Saturday the emperor said:
1T has been year full Of events
for the German army and the German
fatherland Powerful blows have
been delivered and your comrades In
the east have been able to bring about
great decisions.
There has been no man, no oficeI
and no general on the whole eastern
front, wherever have spoken to them
who has not frankly admitted that
they could not have accomplished
what they have II their comrades in
the west had not stood to a man.
WEST AIDS EAST.
The tactical and strategical con.
nection between the battles on the
Aisne, in the Champagne, Artois and
Flanders and at Cambria and the
events In the east and in Italy is so
manifest that it is useless to waste
words on it.
with centralized direction the
German army works in centralized
manner. In order that We should be
able to deliver these offensive blows
one portion of the army had to remain
on the defensive, hard as this is for the
German soldier. Such defensive bat
tie. however, as has been fought in
1917 Is without parallel. A fraction
Of the German army accepted the
heavy task, covering its comrades in
the east Internationally and 1t had
the entire angio-French army ITSELF"
n DON'T BOAST"
Long preparation the enemy has
collected unheard of technical means
and masses of ammunition and guns
in order to make his entry into Brus-
sells over your front, as he proudly
announced. The enemy has achieved
nothing.
"The most gigantic feat ever &C
complished by an army and one with
out parallel In history was accom-
pfished by the German army. don't
boast. It is . fact and nothing else.
The admiration you have earned
shall be your reward and at the same
time your pride. Nothing can in any
way place in the shade or surpass
what you have accomplished, how
ever great or overwhelming II may
be.
CLAIMS DEITY AS ALLY.
1.-THE year 1917 with its great battles
has proved that the German people
has in the Lord of Creation an uncon-
ditional and avowed ally on whom 1t
can absolutely rely. Without him all
would have been In vain.
Every one of you had to exert
every nerve to the utmost know
that every one Of you In the unpar-
alleled drumfire did superior human
deeds. The feeling may have been
frequently with you: If we only had
something behind US; IL We only had
some relief It came as the result of
the blow in the east, where 1t is seen
that the storms of war there are at
present silenced. God grant that it
NAV he forever"