Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-12-11
GERMANY PREPARING
FOR BIG DRIVE ON
FRONTS IN FRANCE
United States Must Speed Up
Military Efforts, Secretary
of War Baker Says in Week.
Iy Review

WASHINGTON. Dec. 1o-Germany
has massed on the western front her
greatest army OF the war. Secretary
Baker declares in his weekly war re-
view made public today. To meet this
menace the United States must speed
up its military preparations. the sec
rotary adds. with a warning that the
enemy is preparing TO put into eNecu-
ton in France plans he has been ma
turing since the defeat of the Rus
sian armies at Tannenburg early in
the war. The peace negotiations with
Russia have permitted the massing of
men on the western front for that
purpose.
The United States must stand
Sauarel,- behind our soldiers" the Sec
rotary says 1T is not sufficient to
prepare - fight; we must prepare to
win"
The review asserts the German
counter offensive on the Cambria front
has been successful in winning back
,ess than one-third OF the territory
captured by General Bying.
The statement also notes that Amer
lean engineer troops exchanging SHOW
els for rifles. fought off the enemy
side by side with the British
The lesson of the German exhibition
OF strength Is Ilen taken up
German Strength RsvivinR
This German parryIng thrust. the
most powerful and successful blow aim
ed at the British during the past two
and one-haIf years coming as il did.
Immediately after the victory in same
area. serves TO emphasize the reviving
strength of the Germans in the west
We must recognize plainly that the
situation In The eastern theater has
brought about a decided change in the
strategic possibilities of the military
situation. in the west.
Germany. by leaving only skeleton
divisions in the Russian area by con-
csntrating all available guns. munitions
and men in the theater OF operations in
the west. has been able to mass a rela-
lively greater force than she has ever
been able to mobilize in France in the
past
Unfortunate Position
This explains the success which
the enemy was able to achieve in driv-
ing the British back from Cambria. II
would not do for Us to minimize its inn
portance
The enemy realizes that he finds
himself temporarily in . singIiarly for
runate position. and he can be counted
upon to take the utmost advantage of
For a long time past he has been
preparing his plans for just such an
cventUaIity as would arise when Russia
should enter upon negotiations for a
separate peace, which has been "A prin-
cipsI German objective ever since the
battle of TannenbeTg- Nc must expect
that he will put these plans into exc
rution. Thus he may have at his dis
possI for time a propOnderant numer-
i-al superiority in the west; he may be
aDle to achieve some relative advan-
age IN the field. such as those record
I'd during the past week.
Must Speed Up Efforts
The magnitude OF the task before US
esn-be more fully realized when meas
T-ed by the success which the enemy as
still able TO gain
1t means that we must speed up our
military effort The united nation must
stand squsrely behind our soldiers.
o.; Is not sufficient TO prepare 10
=5.. we must prepare to win"
The review also hints at an expected
herman thrust against the French
mont. and says:
The number Of hostile raids executed
along the French front northwest of
Rheims. in Argoane, in the region OF st.
Quentin. in the VOsges and particularly
IN upper AlSace, as well as the increas-
ing enemy artillery activity north of
hank Of tine Meuse- I'm Chaume wood,
Naisous de Champagne. and upper AL
SAGE. would appear to indicate that the
enemy i feeling out the French front
witb a view 10 identifying the strength
1t the units opposing him" Respect.
.n= the italian front the statement says,
significantly:
covers whole Line
our declaration of war against Aus
fzN with
the struggle going on in Italy"
Discussing zrmistiCe negotiations on
-Ic Russian front, the statement says
,h- agreement covers the entire line.
from the Baltic 10 the Black sea as well
sS the region Of the Caucasus
The Rumsnian armies" il continues.
while rcpudiating all attempts made
hv the enemy To fraterniZe with them,
have been bv force Of circumstances,
compelled 20 accept the proposals for
@ truce
Secretary Baker made this statement
Us ~ rond. rions in Palestine.
The success or British operations IN
Palestine has had a very decided Mill
AIRY effect throughout the ottoman en-
rire. and much of The pressure which
me German higher command had hoped
% bring 70 bear in MesOpOtamia with
he view to recapturing BsGdad has been
-eI5eved.
In Mesopotamia the British arc car
sing forward their operations on the
light bank OF the Dale river with great
success II Is interesting 20 record
hat a small Russian detachment CO.
operated in this engagement with ;he
British"
II-Isa D.II