The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-01-01

States see their c&use growing strong
| er by reason of the Nssons abroad
and the sad results OF the National
Guard mobilization along the Mexican
border.
In every neutral nation the war has
| brought new domestic issues to the
fore. The American presidential cleo
ton was won by Wilson with the
slogan: He kept us out of war"
Many times in the last twelve
months. however. II appeared that the
Presidents effort to avert hostilities
would fail. Germany's terms on the
! Lusitania sinking settlement were ac-
cepted February 8. but the destruction
of the channel ferryboat Sussex and
other merchantmen from time to time
provoked fresh outbrusts of hostility
against the 4Teutons. The submarine
crisis in Congress came at the end of
February and the beginning of March.
when the Gore and McLemore resoiu-
tons. in the House of Representatives
and Senate respectively, were cast into
the discard, and the President was
upheld in his stand
The failure of the entente to give
Germany knockout blow this sum-
mer resulted in upsetting the govern
ments of the three greatest entente
powers, Great Britain, France and
Russia, while Joseph Joffre, who had
led the armies of France ever since
the beginning of the war. gave way
to the younger Robert Nivelle. a fig-
ure which the Homeric struggle at
Verdun had thrown into the Hmelight.
On February % the Car visited
the Russian Duma for the first time
/ in history.
In recalling the historic events Of
the year the Russian advance In Asia
Minor and the capture of the big
cities of Trebizond and Erzerum
should not be left out
1t appeared that the Muscovites
would sweep on to the Dardanelles.
but they were soon brought to a
standstill and pushed back In the
South, where the Turks. on April 20.
captured the whole British garrison
OF kut-el-Amara, on the Tigris River.
Then. too, Italy became a larger
factor in the war this year. The
Austrians attempted great often
sive on the plains Of northern Italy
from the Tyrol. but Count Cadorna
quickly shifted forces to meet them
by motor car. drove them back to
their former positions and soon after
ward began victorious advance
against Gorilla and the Carso Plateau.
Three important revolts took place
against the recognized governments
of the warning nations. The Easter
revolution in Ireland was put down
i'll few days. President Pearse and
other leaders. including Sir Roger
Easement. were executed and the
Irish question was left much as be-
fore.
~ In Southern Arabia the natives
under the leadership of the Shereef OF
Medina. rose against the Turks. cap
tured the Moslem Holy City of Mecca.
beat off attacks and proclaimed a new
Kingdom. which is now asking recog-
milton at Washington and elsewhere.
Pro allyGreeks set up to the stand
ard opposition to King Constantine
and the Germanic powers. and on Sep
TENDER rs Eleutherios Venlzelos. the
most able Greek of modern times. left
Athens to lead them. Lloyd George
announced TO the House OF Commons
in his historic speech December 10,
that Great Britain would recognize
the Venezeiist agents.
The year has brought great increase
in wealth. despite high prices, to al
most all NE neutral nations and to
Japan. Furnishing munitions and
other supplies to the hard pressed bel
ligerents has proven very profitable.
The United States from debtor ma
ton is now over the line and Is pro-
crossing as a creditor nation. lending
vast sums broad and receiving more
interest than she pays out.
In the Balkans the allies have coll
lected a vast Heterogeneous army
under the French General Sarrail and
have made some progress. capturing
Monastir in the west But the ex
pected great offensive here has NOT
materialized.
Vast Trade Combine.
The entente allies meeting at
Paris, decided on vast trade Combi-
nation against Germany and her al
lies to check Teuton ambition after
the war hut this plan has been re-
ceived with little favor and is not
likely to be carried ont.
The advance In the efficiency of
war machines has been marked The
swift Fokker was brought forth ear
Iier in the year and tire allies have
met II with equally efficient atrpianes
of their own devising. They assert
they have air supremacy in the west
today. but Germans predict that with
the new stores of petroleum from Ru-
mania they will soon reverse matters.
Larger. speedier AMI more efficient
dirigible balloons OF the Zeppelin ana
other types have taken the air. The
Zeppelins have raided England again
and again, taking heavy toll OF life.
But their own losses through con-
tests with aviators and the fire OF
anti aircraft guns on land and sea
have aise -heen-seXere.- leaving the
question of the feasibility of such war
instruments still In doubt.
Bound to be remembered in history,
too. are the two successful trips of
the German merchant submarine
Deutschland across the Atlantic to
the United States and home again.
The undersea boats effectiveness was
also attested when the submarine
U-53 paid Newport. r. L. brief call.
sunk five ships off Nantucket Light
ship and then sped home in safety.
Buy Objects o. Art