Evening star., 1917-01-07
taken for granted that the effort vii
not be lessened in the least.

Il
Thar spirit Of nervousness exists
among armies Of the French and
Bri tish as
Nervousness Now well as the
Exists on West Front. tha - wa.,.rn W
| front-this feeling being due to a per-
picking doubt as to just where the
| enemy next will strike and the desire
to Illustrate any material gains-is
manifest in off1cial reports. were this
| nervousness not borne out by other
dispatches from capitals Of the chief
belligerents In speculating as to the
future trend of the fighting.
| Germany believes that the allies will
| make no effort to resume the offensive
| along the Somme, where their failure
| to capture Peronne and Bapaume is
hsralded in Berlin as German victory.
With this opinion firmly intrenched in
| the Teuton mind there is belief also
| that the plains of Flanders will be the
| scene of the most terrific engagements
| IDENTIFY are preparing for a blow in the
| regions OF Ypres. Armentieres. Neuve
Chapelle and other points. Many
| trench raids have been made by the
| Teutons as well as the British in re.
cent weeks. An elaborate series of
reconnoissances is declared to have
| been made by both sides. Aeroplane
| casualties alone indicate the activity
| in this direction.
In the regions of the Somme raids
| likewise have marked operations. as
| well as in the Champagne and in Lor-
| raine. There has been sharp fighting
in the region Of verdun. but after the
Germans recaptured some minor -po-
sitions on the slopes of Dead Man
| Hill these operations have followed the
course apparently being pursued by
| both belligerents all along the western
front, that of merely harassing the
| enemy.
Winter weather conditions are de-
clared to have been terrible in recent
| weeks and are said to have greatly
| curtailed operations of major proper
! tions, but unQuestionably the entente
powers and Berlin are expecting stu
pendous military efforts in this arena
| of war during the course Of the pres
ant year.
Nov that Rumania is conquered. the
Germans undoubtedly will be able to
utilize large forces engaged in this
campaign in other, more advantageous
quarters. Already regiments which
were known to be fighting against the
Russians and Rumanians have returned
| to the western arena. Whether these
are in the nature of reinforcements
or sent there merely to take the place
other arenas is question. But there
Is every reason to believe that Ger.
many is marshafing great forces of
| men, great stores Of guns and muni-
tions for the expected allied drive in
the spring When the word spring is
used in this connection it does not
necessarily mean that warm weather
| must come before the respective bellig-
erents set into motion their great
military machines. The verdun often
sive Of the Germans, which probably
was even more intense than the allied
effort on the Somme later in the year.
was inaugurated in February. 1t is
reasonable to expect that at the slight
est sign of permanent moderation in
the evil winter weather conditions
| either one side or the other will strike.
While the Germans are preparing, the
entente commanders likewise are over
looking no detail in looking forward to
q sweeping drive or preparing the re-
pulse of any offensive effort the Ger
mans may undertake.
| ~
The British, it is declared. will have
moved to the continent the great reserve
army which has
p-;+;sb uov. p;o b diligently
training for the
Army at Front. front in England.
Gen. Haig is said to have already 2'ooo.-
900 men in France. The additional force
will enable the British to lengthen their
front, while in like proportion it will
permit greater French concentration.
such a move naturally Increases the
fighting effectiveness of the two armies.
Behind the allied lines vast quantities
| Of munitions are being stored in prepara-
ton for another great drive. The soidiers
are being impressed by their superiors
| that the effort Of all efforts is about to
come. They have done this each winter
since the war started. The troops OF
France and England now are more IN
cIined to believe their officers after the
disa ppointing failures of the frst spring
| efforts, in view OF the fact that the vic
| tory for the French at Verdun ana tne
sweeping Somme offensive instilled new
COURAGE into the hearts Of the fighting
units-more than the words OF any one
commander or group of military leaders
could have done.
Although the matter cannot be given
great credence, it Is reported from Paris,
| and, Furthermore, it is believed in Ger
| tain quarters Of the French capital that
| the Germans will endeavor TO turn the
lower French flank on the western 'front.'
| by crossing over Switzerland in much the
same fashion as the neutrality OF Bel
GUM was violated The establishment of
| a great mobile army to meet any posi-
bility of such a move on the part OF the
Germans is advocated by some French
journals These expressions are but fur
| ther indicative Of the restlessness on the
part of the French people. which is born
| OF the extreme desire to anticipate enemy
moves.
France has the greatest confidence in
Gen. Nivelle and Gen. Petain, the two
Commanders who will direct operations
during the coming year unless they be
relocated for military or political rea-
sons, because each Of these men has
brilliant military record for achieve
ment in the present struggle. Like
wise the British have utmost confidence
| in Gen. Haig. in command OF the Brit
ish forces.
There Is no question as to the sa-
zacity Of the entente commanders on the
western front, but the one big mystery,
the question that has caused the grav-
est concern, and possibly justiflably. Is
the exact extent to which the entente
armies are equipped in the way of mu-
nitions. Allied commanders last year
thought they had ample stores. con-
certed offensive proved their mistake.
Expressions are frequent in both Paris
and London that there can be no mis-
take this year. citing the wonderful
home production. by far exceeding even
the dreams of officialdom early in the
war.
During the immediate weeks opera
tfons on the western front may be ex-
pected to continue OF negligible char
acter
*
II King Constantine. by continuing
to heed ultimatum after ultimatum
presented official