The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1917-12-03

SAVAGE BLOW THIS WINTER
Smash at Italy is First Stage in Des-
perate Campaign Before Americas
Full Strength Enters War.

Stockholm, Dec. 3.-Germany has
reached the zenith of its fighting pow
err
The fourth war winter sees the
chief central empire extending itself
to the limits Of the humanity possible,
straining nerve and muscle almost to
the breaking point for the supreme et.
fort.
The dynamic genius of LudendOrT
has exhausted and transformed the
last latent human ana material re
sources of the empire into militarr
energy The high pressure war il
dustrial mobilization is ended
The production Of guns, ammunition
and technical enginery of war has
been more than doubled within tie
past year, and the grueling pace can
at best only BE- maintained. not n
creased
The army is the top of its form
Every last available, even TaT iallv
fit. man, OF fa,. ing age not more
needed in war wr~k behind the front,
has been put into uniform.
The civilian reservoir Of reserves
has been drained to the dregs to bring
the fighting line up to the maximum
of strength. The old landstrum is
helping to hold the watch in the east
against revolutionizod Russian inertia,
setting free many active and reserve
divisions
Internally, Germany presents the
curious paradox OF nation hopeless
ly divided against itself on war aims
and characterization, but sOlidly unit
ed on the proposition Of self-praserva-
ton of fighting on "in defense of the
Fatherland" The economic pressure
is not vet unbearablo. The haunting
fear of famine has again been Danish
ed by good average crops. Germany's
food supply. scant but not insufferably
short, is assured until the next har-
vest. and there is no prospect of "star-
walton in submission
Official Germany still refuses to ad-
nit that il is already beaten. and moth
ing short of a decisive military defeat
can dispel its hope of final victory.
And Hindenburgs prestige continues
unimpaired.
The metamOrplOsis Of Germany into
a modern Spartan state "for fighting
only" is practically completed. HUI
man will and efficiency can go no fur
Their Fighting Germany. overorgan-
lied to the minutest detail, has been
geared up to the physical limit of
striking power and the splendid fight
ing machine has been speeded up for
the last lap of the heart-breaking race
against time-"until Americas armies
appear On the western theatre of
war"
Military victory now or never" is
the laconic German war formula to-
day. The German highest leadership
knows that the new world is mobiliz-
ing, not for a bluff, but for battle. 1t
realizes the full, ominous significance
of the fact that Germany has six
months of offensive grace. 1t calcu-
lates that America will have half a
million fighting men in the first line
by late spring and possibly a million
men before the end of summer or by
next fall. 1t harbOrs no delusions
about the ultimate effectiveness OF
Americas wholesouled, active entry
into the war.
The plans of the highest leadership
are laid accordingly, with a whirlwind
offensive to crush Italy as the first
move. and in the full knowledge that
if the plans miscarry before its six
months offensive grace are up, Ger
many for the balance of the war will
be reduced to the stubborn and hope
less defensive forced to sell its life
as dearly as possible on the slender |
chance of holding out until the world |
coalition, headed by America, grows
weary of fighting and decides that
Germany cannot be crushed.