Connecticut western news., 1917-07-26


 question uf terms aGd putting oL tho discussion of permanent peace Untl thc end of the war. In January President Wilson revived
 interest in the suh .ect of peace by out
 lining n plan for a peace league mnk-
 Ing peace without victory" consent of the governed" and world Monroe doctrine" the Fundamentals for world
 peace While the whole world was discussing this turn O. affairs Germany
 informed neutrals on Jan. 31 that sub
 marine warfare would be more ruth
 less than ever. Three days later the German ambassador was given his passports, and the president informed I congress of the break and Its causes. Ambassador Gerard received his pass ports at Berlin Feb. 5, and on the 10th l Germany, through the Swiss govern ment, proposed negotiation of the new 1 dispute. This the United States de- clined unless the new submarine order was withdrawn.
 After von Bernstorff sailed md Ge- rard was out of Germany the state de- partment disclosed German plot to involve the United States with Japan and Mexico. War measures followed rapidly. Congress expired March 4 without indorsing the presidents arm ed neutrality" policy. A special session of the new congress was summoned to meet April 2, and meanwhile the pres ident ordered armed guards placed onl our merchant ships voyaging abroad. On April c congress formally declared war. Then followed n conscription law | to create armies, loans to the allies one of $2,00o,ooo,00o to the nation by the people-the dispatch of war vessels 10 Europe under command of Rear Ad- miral Sims; also of Major General Pershing, to prepare a base for the American contingent already represent ed on the firing line in France by de- tachment bearing the Stars and Stripes, on May 25,
 The Russian Setback.
 During the efforts to secure diplo- matic peace Russia stood firm. The duma rejected Germany's proposals, and the imperial government indorsed Will sons peace league note. Russian sup- port of Roumania had never been strong and entirely dropped away in the winter. It seemed that Russia was powerless. X revolution fin which the troops and their generals figured depos- ed the cZar the middle of March, and there began n state of military indeci- sion and inactivity while factions con- tended for political control at Petro- grad. , Early in February the German retro '' grade began north of the Somme. Ba- paume and Peronne, the goals of months of bloody struggles, yielded tho middle of March to the allies led by Nivelle and Haig, and shortly the Ger mans turned and began to resist wig orously all along the front. special reasons" was Berlin's explanation of this great and masterly retreat. Fur ther withdrawal was forced by British attacks on the Ypres salient and at Messines in May and June. 2
 Western Entente Powers Pressed. | The entrance of the United States as an ally led to an announcement by British and French commissioners sent here for conference, among them Mar | shal Joffre, that the resources of Eng land, France and Italy fin men, money, food and munitions were at low ebb, and Russia must be considered as vir- tually eliminated as an aggreSeivel force. These frank disclosures caused surprise and deep anxiety on this side of the ocean, the more so because the ruthless U boat operations, which be- gan in February, had been more de- structive than expected by the allies, although their toll had fallen far short | of Germany's estimate-1, 100000 tons per month. The destruction of freight ships varied from week to week dur ing March, April and May, but the to- tai was so great as to forebode disas- ter unless the evil was speedily sup pressed.
 The entente's money problem was | quickly solved by affording heavy cred ! its to pay for their supplies brought here A commission, headed by Elihu Root. repaired to Russia to swing the weight of the United States on the \ side of the forces fin authority who favor continuance of the war on | Germany. The response to calls for troops and immense war funds and | the successful registry for the draft, followed by the safe arrival of large expeditionary force in France, led to n reaction during June from the misgiv- lngs and uncertainties which had pre- vailed for weeks.
 Notable among the closing events of l the third year of war are the renewal l. of attacks upon the Austrian fronts by \ Italian and Russian armies. The Ital- | Ian movement began early in June and ! had for its object the recovery of posi- tions in the Trentino, which the Aus trians had captured in their great s spring drive of 1916. At the close of