Evening star., 1917-12-02
KAIsER'S FAILURE IN EAST

In Mesopotamia and Palestine Ger
man and Turkish influence
and Power Are Under
mined Forever.
day a case is cited Where one. Italian
battery was put out of existence by
men had lost their guns they seized i'm
provised weapons and dashed forward
with the infantry in a counter attack.
Other artillery units have carried their
guns to important positions. piece by
piece, on their backs. The artillery is,
in fact, playing as great a role as the
infantry units in the present wonderful
defense.
X X
italian commanders as well as mill
tary leaders Of other nations who have
visited the
Great Battles Italian front
Believed in Prospect. aSent % " +hat
the Italians will be able to retain their
present positions. The Germans have
closed the Swiss frontier again and it
is possible that the kaiser. realizing
the loss of prestige which would result
present moment when so much is "just
over the crest" has ordered still
greater reinforcements for his armies
battling in the Italian arena. If this
Is true 1t is possible the greatest series
Of battles in the history Of the world
along the Piave. for undoubtedly the
French and British will continue their
steady flow of troops and guns to this
arena until the issue has been def
nitely settled.
Though counter attacking at isolated
points. the italian armies have made
no major offensive moves since the
present battle line was taken. With
French and British reinforcements and
after a short rest some such effort may
be made before weather conditions abb
solutely preclude a drive forward.
1t Is more than likely that the two
groups Of belligerents will settle down
to species Of trench warfare during
the worse winter months after the
question has been definitely settled
whether the Teutons are to break
through or are to be held in on the
present line.
The world may expect to hear of
some Of the most terrible fighting be-
fore this period Of comparative quiet
comes, however.
One Of the severest Teutonic defeats
suffered in the present struggle, ono moro
or less ninimiZed by
Severe German n1eagernesS Of news
Defeat in East. IN Mohanuedan I ~ ra.
gions Of the Holy Land and near east.
Gen. Allenby's approach to the holy city
of Jerusalem and the British govern
ments declaration championing the Zion
list movement for Palestine again have
attracted attention to those regions where
the German linked hands with the Turk
and where the aspirations Of both are
going up in the smoke Of battle.
Shortly after Turkey entered the war on
the side of Germany the best military
brains Of the two nations were assembled
to frame plans to deal the British a severe
canal and the overrnnning of British.
French and italian territories in north
ern Africa. Through seditious schemes.
religious issues were dragged in. and
rome Mohammedan factions largely con-
trolled by the Turks proclaimed a holy
war 1t was intended by the fathers Of
this plan that the whole Of the near east
should sh be famed int into flames flames Of fury and
cast would be exterminated and the Mo-
hammedans of India would be dragged
into the fray.
The British and Russian expeditions di-
rected against the Turks through Meso-
potamia and the Caucasus were not q
moment too soon. What happened when
these expeditions got started Is a matter
of history, but to briefly recapitulate. a
firm barrier Of steel. men and cannon was
thrown across the country from the Black
sea to the Gulf of Persia The schemes
rupted insofar as stirring the tribesmen
Of India to insubordination- holy war and
avowals of Independence were concerned
Barring few outbreaks among tribes
ish territories. the British have had to
give but little attention to India
While the efforts of the Germans and
Turks in this particular direction were
was attached to the proposed capture
Of the Suez canal. Not only would
this be military blow to British pres
tige in Africa. but would prove of great
strategic value in the interruption of
allied commerce and COMMUNICATION
with India, which has proved a treasure
house OF stores, money and men for
the British government
Elaborate systems of water mains
were laid across desert places from
Palestine toward the Suez Every pre-
caution was taken to establish per-
manent lines of communication and in
this work the Turks and the Germans
obtained the support Of several tribes
toward the British. At any rate, the
Turkish armies. off1cered largely by
Germans, set forth on their advance,
assisted by the. natives.
The armies approached within strik-
ing distance of the Suez, but got no
further. vi
Near the Suez, cious attacks
But Get No Further. arainst the ,hs
defenses erected by the British. Ger
mans worked their propaganda over
time among the natives in order that
the brave force of British defending the
canal might be exterminated, but to no
avail. The British were reinforced and
began to strike back. They were sue
cessful. Native rcvolters were sternly
dealt with.
While the Mesopotamian and Cau-
casus expeditions were at their
height and it really appeared that the
Turk would lost a greater part of his
Asiatic territories through enemy ag-
.ression in this direction, Turkish and
German attention was diverted for the
time being from Palestine oDd tbo