Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-12-11
rHE wEsrERN FRONT.

osnizes the state of war winch tnae
vovernment has forced upon TINS. Is
nredicated on the probability tnat
kmerican troops will come to grips
v1th Anstro.Hungarian divisions soon
al, the Italian front. The senate Ieso
In ion and Senator Stones REMARKS vi
II reveal the fact that the war ,n.el a
Allied conference has des1enateo ule
italian theatre as a part OF tne ~es.
en- frnnt. along with the far flung nne
extending from Switzerland 10 .na
North sea through France ana he''
GUM. .,.noas
~ the drive against Cadorna's forces
Nv the combined armies OF. the ecu
~, movers. No longer is there any
fhoueht Of Disgusting the fact that one
~. cficahle route for the Teutons 10
france and the rear Of the Franco bel
rian line lies through Italy, proVlolns
Italv can be removed from the war.
~ n the hope that they may be ap!e
70 effect this elimination wnfcn ~
squirting the Germans and tneil a,nes
on In the most desperate ana 1urous
offensive since the first thrust INTO
France. The strength which was OK
erterl to hold the Russian line is turn'
~ AGAINST Italy, along with every re-
serve INIT the Teutons can gamer
Thev are fighting against the enemy
.rd AGAINST approaching winter at the
s.me time. and thus far the weather
~. favored them Ordinarily at TINS
time of wear it would be Impossible 10
49,. ..tor.ive warfare in the noun
tain region Of northern Italy, but tnus
f.r the present winter has been mo
and the invaders have taken adVan'
taxe Of that bit OF luck.
n A the Italians predict, the INC
xhev are holding now Is TO prove inc
: aftn Verdun, the condition Will De
.ertoms enough for the allies, for tnou
s.nds AZ men must be sacrinced 70
:, .irtasn stalemate in italy ct tann
49, eyerv possible fighter Is needed
;. h.,snca the strength tho Teutons
hava been able to shit from the east
en- theatre to the west.
csrmanv's victories during the past
80 months have been stupendous
pr..ia mas been eliminated; Italy mas
800 transformed from menacfns
- .rrroaching enemy to desperate
iy handicapped one; a weath ol SUP
niles has become available 70 tne ue
mans ON the east and the absence OF
rressure from that quarter mas re-
{eased q vast army for service on the
western front.
1 n the United States were not num-
Aared among the enemies OF Gefmans'
Sha odds would be strongly against the
. I,;.. at this iuncture. This fact puts
.cuarely IN to the people and the gov
erment of the United States their re-
sponsibility in this war. -.
In Germany, newspapers and JUNK
~. are laughing at the idea OF eriec-
tive participation by the United States:
they are giving their heavy brand OF
hnmor the fullest exercise in their
.omments on our plans for sending a
big army and thousands OF airp'anes
70 the front.
IN America, on the other hand. we
tr,n from some of our pleasures as
uauay to read with utmost confidence
me declaration OF the president that
Cermany's government must give up
his autocratic power before Ger
many's people can obtain America S
consent to peace.
BEFORE we have started to fight, we
apa debating peace terms. Months
axo before the first transport had Pc
mn to load for Europe, we were usins
similar language. Even now, eisns
months after having declared war the
actual fighting we have done mas not
been enough to convince more tnan
few of the German soldiers that Amer
icans actually have landed In Europe
FOR eight months we have been BOAST
ing of our powers. our mammoth
army. our invincible air fleet, our rec.
ard OF indicated bravery, our
national unity, our love for democ-
racy our championship Of right. Now
Il is time to fight.
within few months we shall know,
and the world will know. whether
oar boasts have been idle. In the
meantime and for months afterward,
even n we prove that we have spoken
truly. America must undergo sacri-
fices. sorrows and anxieties such as
America never has known
This Is not pessimisn; 1t is a simple
recitation Of fact We must face the
future with determination instead OF
a haseless. idle and dangerous optini-
lam. Unless the fighting next spring
and summer turns the tide Of the war
against the central powers there can
he little hope for an eventual victory
over them.
There was war, long ago. when
Americas spirit was put to the
supreme test by the same merciless
mower OF German might which is try
ing that spirit today. England's Ger
man king was beaten and we were
given a heritage of liberty because
everything else was forgotten While
the American colonies fought.
In the year to come, the present
generation of Americans will need the
last ounce of that spirit of patriotism
aud courage which famed in the