The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-12-25
Expected Declaration Of
Terms by Kaiser Does
Not Materialize
MANY CHANGES MADE
DURING PAST YEAR
Entente Gains on West and
East Front Lose in
North and South.
BY Associated Press.

Christmas tide of 1917 finds the
armies on all the major battle fronts
virtually inactive except where the
Tcutonc allies arc endeaNorinE te
ovcrwhelm the Italians and force a
uassagr through the hill country or
!, northern Italy out upon the plains ot
Ncnetia %4.."
The battlclines today are markedly
changed from those of the Sester-ycar.
The Russian front from the Baltic TO
the Black sea is virtually non existant.
the Italians arc standing miles from
where they were year ago along the
isonzo front; from Belgium 10 the
region around Verdun. great salienis
have been driven into the German lines
by British and French armies. and IN
Asiatic Turkey the British have made
gains In Mcsopotamia and Palestine.
Christians in Holy Land.
Northward through the latter region
General Allenby's forces have made
great progress against the Ottomans
and Christmas of 1917 finds the Chris
tions once more in control of Bcthlc-
hem. the birth place of christa and of
Jerusalem. and the holy sepulchrc.
Although the sound of peace" Is in
the air, seemingly there Is no prospect
of ending ut an early date the titanic
struggle. Tho Teutonic allies and the
Russians are endeasorlng to effect
cessation Of hostllities on the eastern
front. and probably will reach some
| kind OF an agreement that for the mo
| ment at least will render the counter
revolutionary forces in Russia mac
tive and throw a greater burden on
their former allies.
Emperor Is Boastful.
The enemy for weeks unofficiallN
| has been proclaiming his desire for
| peace, but no terms have been ad-
vanced by him which would indicate
"a Willingness to bring the war to an
end along lines that would make the
world safe for democracy" On the
contrary the German emperor in his
latest utterance, made before the sec
ond army last Saturday, boasted OF
the success of the Teutonic allies dur
ing the last year, and exultantly pro-
claimed that the victories of the cen
tral powers had been so manifest that
| It was useless to waste words on the
tactical and strategical advantages
gained.
Apparently however, while strenu~
ons efforts are being made In the
| United States to get an invincible
| army In the field to aid Great Britain
and France and their allies In finally
| bringing success to their arms, the
German emperor has made a final en-
deavor In his latest address to his
the following declaration
IF the enemy does not want peace
then we must bring peace to the world
by battcring N with the iron fist and
the shining sword the doors of those
who will not have peace"
Shift on Italian Front.
Meanwhile his armies and those OF
his ally. Austria Hungary, finding
that their attempts to break the Ital
ian line between the Brenta and Piaye
rivers in northern Italy were without
result, have shifted their attack again
to the Asiago plateau. Here small
gains were made, but the Italians, stiff
fleming their line. held the enemy from
further progress and at last accounts
were delivering successful counter at
tacks against him. ON the lower
Piave river -e@,~ enemy troops who
forced "A crossing of tho river last
week have been compelled to retreat
to the east bank of the stream.