Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-12-24
Secretary Baker Warns the
Country That War Prep
arations Must Not Be
Slackened by Peace Talk.
Berlin Peace Feelers Be-
lieved to Be Only Fore
runners of German Often
sive in West-Praise for
Work of Allies.

siduous Christmas peace propaganda
"should not for moment induce us
to slacken our preparations for war;
Secretary of War Bakers weekly
war summary voiced the warning to-
day, pointing out clearly that Ger
many is now trying to knock Italy out
of the fight, while at the same time
she is testing out the west front pre-
liminary to what has been heralded
as big offensive.
He warned, too, that Americas por-
tion of the struggle is vast and that
"our armies constitute the reserves of
victory"
TEUTON PEACE FEELERS.
On the subject of Teuton peace feel
ers and Americas task. the secretary
said:
TT would appear that as a forerun-
ner to the German offensive heralded
to be launched in the west, an inten-
sive peace propaganda is under way.
Officials here see in the Russo Ger
man gathering at Brest- Litovsk an
effort by Germany to effect separate
peace with Russia during the holidays
for the psychological effect on other
nations.
Careful examination of the situa-
ton reveals that the enemy is again
preparing to sue for peace before vic
tory" Baker said.
THREAT OF OFFENSIVE.
Information from various sources
confirms the reports that the Germans
would have the world believe that the
military situation Is such that they
are able to dictate the terms of peace
They therefore threatened that unless
this dictated peace is accepted by the
allied powers and ourselves, the Ger
man forces now being concentrated on
the western front will break through
the allied line in the west.
"The various reports of immediate
peace proposals by the Germans or
seemingly favorable terms sheuld not
for a moment induce us to slacken ouI
preparations for war.
SIMILAR RUMoR LAST YEAR.
TT is only necessary for us to recall
that during the Christmas season last
year the Germans put forth very
similar peace rumor."
IN COHSlutTlIB tie
ton in it's true light, 1t must be un.
derstood that the Germans realize thai
within a short time our armies viii
form the principal body of fresh STRAIT
egic reserves remaining available fol
action on the battle fields of Europe
Thus no matter what superiority II
men and guns the enemy may, for th'
time being, be able to bring to bear il
the west and even admitting an even
tual modification of the allied line II
his favor, nevertheless he knows tina
insofar as 1t is humanity possible t.
foresee, his effort will inevitably re-
suit in merely a local success which
can have no determining influence OF
the final outcome of the war;
PRAISE FOR ALLIES.
Pointing out that France and Eng
land have done a mighty task, Bake
added:
at Is our duty in looking to the fu
ture to realize that IL we are to fulfil
the pledge we made on entering tn
war. II we are to fight this war to
successful conclusion, we must assum
the full responsibility that rests upoi
us. We are the freshest in the strug
gle: we have the reserve man powe
and the reserve mechanical power. Gu
armies constitute the reserves of vic
tory"
Noting the addition Of fresh Teu
tonic forces in Italy. the secretary sal
the Hun is trying to get Italy out o
the war and seeking to accomplish al
enveloping movement to effect the de
rtruction of Italian and allied force
while at the same time carrying on
.subversive propaganda" within italy
I'VE can confidently rely on tn
fighting morale Of the Italian people,