The Ozark spectator., 1917-01-06

the total population of the earth con- tinues to increase in spite of the havoc. The worlds normal increase in popu- lation is 10000 day, or about 12,000,- GOO a year.
 The whole world faces hunger. The principal food crops were partial fail ure almost everywhere last summer and experts say that by the end of next spring the surplus will be almost down to zero, a most dangerous condition, for supplies are never we'll distributed enough to allow a wide margin with out causing famine somewhere. The warning nations feel the pinch the most, but prices are distressingly high for necessaries of life in almost every corner of the globe.
 The year sees two new combatants plunged in the maelstrom of war Portugal and Roumania. The twelve month began with the conquest of tiny Montenegro and ends with the Teu- ton sweep over about two-thirds of Roumania.
 On the last New Years day Henry Ford was returning from his peace argosy fiasco. On this New Years official proposals for peace barley by the Gerinanic powers have been re- ceived and refused by the entente lead- CTS.
 Nineteen hundred and sixteen has brought compulsory military service and later compulsory civilian service to Great Britain the nation which had boasted of the greatest personal lib- erty" in the world. Australia has vot ed on compulsory service in a nation wide plebiscite and decided against the measure. Canada cOntemplateS compulsion. The advocates of univer- sal liability to military training and service in the United States see their cause growing stronger by reason of the lessons abroad and the sad results of the National Guard mobilization along the Mexican border.
 America and Neutrality.
 In every neutral nation the war has brought new domestic issues to the fore. The American presidential eloc. ton was won by Wilson with the slogan: He kept us out of war"
 Many times in the last twelvemonth, however, it appeared that the presi- dents effort to avert hoStilities would fail. Germanys terms on the Lusi- tania sinking settlement were accept ed February s, but the destruction of the Channel ferryboat Sussex and oth- CT merchantmen from time to time pro- voked fresh outburStS of hostility against the Teutons. The submarine crisis in congress came at the end of February and the beginning of March, when the Gore and McLemore resolu- tionS, in the house of representatives and senate respectively, were cast into the discard, and the president was up held in his stand.
 The failure of the entente to give Germany a 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, q figure which the Homeric struggle at Yer dun had thrown into the limelight.
 On February % the czar 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
 It appeared that the Muscovites would sweep on to the Dardanelles, but they were soon brought to stand still and pushed back in the South where the Turks, on April %, cap tured the whole British garrison of Kut-el-Amara, on the Tigris river.
 Then, too, Italy became a larger fac tor in the war this year. The Aus trians attempted great offensive 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 afterward began victorious advance against GoritZ and the Carso plateau.
 Taree Big Revolts.
 Three important revolts took place against the recognized governments of the warning nations. The Easter rev olution In Ireland was put down in few days. President Pearse and other leaders, including Sir Roger Easement were executed and the Irish question was left much as before.
 In southern Arabia the natives, un- der the leadership of the Shereef of Medina, rose against the Turks. cap tured the Moslem holy city of Mecca, beat off attacks and proclaimed new kingdom, which is now asking rec ognition at Washington and elsewhere
 Broadly Greeks set up the stand ard of opposition to King Constantine and the Germanic powers, and on Sep tember 25 Eleutherios Venizelos, the most able Greek of modern times, left Fl ~