The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-12-24
Steady Thunder of Big Guns
indicates Ceasless Vigilance
on Battle Lines
MAJOR OPERATIONS
HELD IN AbEYANCE
Both Groups of Combatants
Busy With Preparations for
What May Come England
Busy With Labor Problem

london. December 23,--Tbs ql1ct
peaceful atmosphere Of Christmas has
"but,ed in on tho grna business Of
WAY \ Yuletide lui is reported OF
ala the aghtinS fronts
From the various war Offices CANS
only brief commuDiques, with plenty
OF thunder. bat little blood in thena
In the wsst. where but few days ago
the premonition OF Europe's Arranged
don lay heavy In the smoke allied aig.
there mas, been for tv-enta four 3fgasa
nothing beyond a monotonous chorus
OF the guns not the furious drumfire
roar that precedes battles, but merely
q sustained. mediocre harrsge. Of the
almost good natursd kind that has
come 10 be music to the soldiers ears
for IL means eternal vigilance, safety
from unpleasant surprises
In the Enowcapper mountains that
hold watch for the Venetian plAIus,
and on both banks Of the 'iave. sinai
lar conditions prevail The carnage -
suspended the guns boom on a. sc
only TO keep up appearances
Real hghtinR has been carried much
farther into the winter this year than
In any Of the preceding years ard
5 EAaTA was CNSFS tLQlAaA4blA t4it[ tbs
shock troops" would have no rest
during the holidays. Today it seemed
that there would be no large scale ope-
rations until the atmosphers of peace
on earth" has wholly lifted from The
trenches.
There have been occasional trench
raids OF course, and aerial encounters,
but such minor activities are india
pensahis even now.
But while the Wholesale bloodshsi
has stopped for a while, feverish as
J tivity goes on in the council chambers
OF both groups OF belligerents. The
central powers are approachings il 10
believed. the zenith OF their peacs
drive. Whether that climax WIFI be
bid by the kaiser to all the world to
join the Russo Teuton negotiations or
whether II WITH come immediately after
Christmas in the form OF the heraldsa
drive in the west, is the puzzle thAt
mon opolixes political speculation here.
Meanwhile the western allies are.
erersetically proceeding with plans
for a war to the finish. In Great Bril-
tain the foundation Is being laid for
readjustment OF tire man power
question on Wednesday the Labor
party will hold a momentous meeting
The whole problem revolving around
the governments pledges 10 labor
which Lloyd George has announced
must he reconsidered. will be threshed
out In FRANCE the Clemenceau GOV
ernmeut ls with equal energy settlinG
down to an uncom promising weediBS
out OF the roots Of "Boioism The
CatIlauN case holds the center or tho
public's interest. Fully aware that
the Teuton peace drive is aimed pri-
marily AT eSerting psychological pres
SURE. at Weakening The national spirit
az Resistance. Clemcueeau is deter
mined 10 clear the atmosphere OF the
,ast yesttee OF the esior OF disloyaity
aua dtetrust
i1 Italy eA Premier Riolitti IS the
tautur al political tumult White he
A.4s asserted he Is uneautSooRily
against a separate peAce, his epPo
uruts ted by the Glornale n'ttAiis
have created "a storm OF countrywide
Indignation against him ana his fol
low htg hS the Chargs that ne as only
btding his time.
War aims ooatiuue 20 stir public
discussion everSw here FremteF
( Lloyd Georges speech has diaarmest
for che present al least his most nse-
vent opponents. ma Germany biz
declaration that the wishes Of the ia
4 hahitants must be dominant gaetar
I ln the decision 81 the futurs fate Ut
+ the German colonies has made a pro-
found Impression. German newspapers
show
The Russian situation Is still ae
secure To the Aliiea Trotzky's latase
speech, voieing defiance or the katnaT.
has been TO some degree re@ssurinK.
All eyes sre eagerly t0wned tnwAg&
BEest -Litevsk. however,