Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-12-23
Without Entrance of Amer
lea the Balance Would
Still Be in Favor of Cen
trail Powers.
Fatal Mistake of Germany
Was Inauguration of
Ruthless Warfare-Allies
Still Hold Offensive in the
West as Year Ends.
By i. w. T, MASON.

very largely changed during the yea
1917. Whether the end OF the conflic-
comes in one years time or two or
three years, the twelve months that
are now closing must be considered the
most influential upon the development
of democracy the world has ever
known.
Americas entrance into the war Is
not only the principal event of the pre-
sent year, and the most potent influ-
ence of the entire war; 1t must be re-
garded also as enc of those rare events
known as turning point in history,
The collapse of Russia's military
strength and the freedom thereby
granted to the Teutons to give most Of
their attention to war aims in the
west, might have made 1917 a doleful
date for democracy had not the United
States come to the assistance Of the
sorely pressed democratic nations.
Without Americas entrance into the
war, a plausible argument could be
made to show that most of the adj
vantage of the present year rests with
Germany and Austro- Hungary But,
the balance has been devisively lowered
against the central powers by the war
declaration Of the United States.
lNNL SN" DIE.
The German autocracy began the
year with the intention of risking
final gamble for victory by proclaiming
an illegal submarine blockade of Great
Britain, France and Italy This p-
ratical policy of indiscriminate muir
der was adopted but a few weeks be-
fore the outbreak of the Russian revo-
luton. Had the Prussian militarists
haf0 lirf ar
to tempt fate with their warfare against
neutral shipping, it is highly improb .
able that the kaiser would have sane
toned the proposal after the Russian
revolution opened such new possibili-
ties to the German autocrats. Just
as the lateness of Americas entrance
into the war really caused the Russian
revolution by Withholding assurance of
full allied victory, so, the postpone
ment of the cars abdication until
after the beginning of indiscriminats
German summarizing probably brought
the United States into the conflict.
With the coming of spring, the
Anglo French plans for a joint often
sive along the western front became
operative. The Russian revolution
was reported at the time to have in
terfered seriously with the delivery of
an anticipated knockout blow against
the Germans in the west. 1t is not az
all probable however, that such was
the case. Had the car remained in
power, the allies could not have eX-
pected him to develop a strong spring
offensive: while uncertainty about the
revolutionary developments in Russia
undoubtedly prevented the Germans
from transferring any large body or
troops from the eastern to the western
front
ALLIES ON OFFENSIVE.
Events during the year in Belgium
and France, while not bearing out the
predictions Of extreme optimists among
the allies, have been by far the mosl
favorable of any developments in the
west since the battle of the Marine
The British and French have deliver
ed n series of at least dozen terrific
attacks against the German line that
have forced serious retirements ant
has disarranged Won Hindenburg'.
plans in important instances. NJ
fatal blow has yet been struck: but the
year closes near to the victory of thu
British tanks west of Cambria, thai
has shown the way to a new strategy
of silent attacks without the elemeu
of surprise destroyed by preliminar!
bombardments. When the United
States Joined the allies fighting force.
next spring, important results may HI
expected from the lessons learned II
the Cambria offensive.
Germanys western front has beer
badly shaken during the year and ha:
been proven to possess weaknesses
that augur well fort191S. The situation
In the west would. however, be mucf
more disquieting for the German gen
eral staff had it not been for the col
lapse of the Italian Isonzo front.
Events in Italy. this year. must be ad
mitted to contain possibilities of dis
comfort for the allies more serious
perhaps than the weakening of Rus
STA.
AUSTRIA'S SPIRIT REVIVED.
Before the successful Teutonic of
fensive against General Carolina, Aus
tro- Hungary was becoming war wear
and showed constantly increasing ev
idence of pressing Germany for peae
at almost any price. The Austro Ger
man successes in Italy. however, hav
undoubtedly revived, at least for
time, the dropping war spirits of tn
dual monarchy The Austro Hungar
ians consider they have been save,
from making a humiliating peace
Their front. in Italy, has been YER
much curtailed. and they need far les
men to hold the Italians than they di
before. Because of these changes i
the situation, there is no doubt bu
that Germany is bringing pressure t
bear on Austro- Hungary to send troop
to the French front II the Vienn
government consents, events in 1tal
will mean chat the coming America
pffensives will meet with stronger re