The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1917-12-24
Big GUNS ROAR;
DAMAGE SMALL
"OVER THERE
Fighting Slows Down as
the Annual Season Of
Peace Advances.

London, Dec. 23.-The quiet,
peaceful atmosphere of Christmas
has "butted in" on the grim busi-
ness of war. A Yuletide lull is re-
ported on all the fighting fronts.
From the various war offices
came only brief communicates. with
plenty of thunder but little blood
in them. In the west, where but a
few days ago the predomination of
Europe's Armageddon lay heavy in
the smoke-filled air, there has been
for "a hours nothing beyond a mo-
notonous chorus of the guns; not
the furious drum fire roar that pre-
cedes battles. but merely a sustain
ed, mediocre barrage, OF the almost
good -natured kind that has come to
be music to the soldiers ears. for 1t
means eternal vigilance. safety
from unpleasant surprises.
italian Front Calm.
In the snow-capped mountains that
hold watch for the Venetian plains
and on both banks of the Piave SINH
lar conditions prevail. The carnage
is suspended; the guns boom on as IL
only to keep up appearances.
Real fighting has been carried much
farther into the winter this year than
in any of the preceding years. and
there was every indication that the
shock troops would have no large
scale operations until the atmosphere
OF peace on earth has wholly lifteu
from the trenches.
There have been occasional trench
raids, of course, and aerial encou.
ters, but such minor activities are iII-
dispensable even now.
But even while the wholesale
bloodshed has stopped for a while.
feverish activity goes on in the
council chambers of both groups of
belligerents. The central powers
are approaching. it is believed, the
zenith OF their peace drive. Wheth-
er that climax will be a bid by the
Kaiser to all the world to join the
Russo Teuton negotiations. or
whether 1t will come Immediately
after Christmas, in the form of the
heralded drive in the West, Is the
puzzle that monOpolizes political
speculation here. Meanwhile, the
Western allies are energetically pro-
ceeding with plans for a war to the
finish. In Grlat Britain the foun-
dation is being laid for a readjust-
ment OF the man-power question.
On Wednesday the Labor party will
hold a momentous meeting. the
whole problem revolving around
the governments pledges to labor
which Lloyd George has announced
must be reconsidered, will be
thrashed out.
StifIe DisIoyaIty.
In France the Clemenceau govern
ment Is with equal energy settling
down to an uncompromising wedding
out of the roots of "Boloism" The
CailIaux case holds the center of the
public's interest Fully aware that
the Teuton peace drive is aimed pri-
marily at exerting psychological pres
sure, at weakening the national spirit
OF resistance, Clemenceau is deter
mined to clear the atmosphere of the
last vestiSe of the odor of disloyalty
and distrust
In Italy ex-Premier Giolitti is the
center of political tumult. While he
has asserted he is unequivocally
AGAINST n separate peace. his oppo-
nents, led by the GiornaIe D'ItaIia.
have created a storm of countrywide
Indignation against him and his fol-
lowing by the charge that he is only
hiding his time"
war aims continue to stir publ
discussion everywhere. Premier Lloyd
Georges speech has disarmed, for thc
present at least. his most fervent op-
ponents. In Germany, his declaration
that the wishes of the inhabitants
must be dominant factor in the de-
cision of the future fate of the Ger
man colonies. has made a profound
Impression. German newspapers show.
The Russian situation is still OBJ
scure. To the allies. Trotzky's latest
speech, voicinS defiance of the Kaiser
has been TO some degree reassuring
Al eyes are eagerly turned toward
Brest-Litovsk, however.