Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-16
ENTENTE COMMANDERS
PREPARING FOR BLOW
Confidence Voiced, Though No At
tempt Is Made to Minimize
Danger.
NEW VIEW OF SITUATION
Hindenburg May Be Taking Precau-
lions Against Loss of U-Boat Bases,
He Deferring Offensive I'm
til Spring.
BY OLIVER OWEN KUHN.

BY OLIVER OWEN KUHN.
Keenest suspense prevails in all allied
nations and the United States. The
greatest military crisis of the war rap
idly is drawing nigh. The Germans, it
greatest offensive on the western front.
More than a half million additional
men have been rushed from Austria,
Rumania and Russia for the forthcom-
Ing effort. The railroads of Germany
are jammed with trains moving west
ward loaded with ordnance OF all char
acter and flying machines which may
challenge allied air supremacy in
France and Flanders. Field Marshal
Won Hindenburg and his chief aid, Gen.
Ludendorff. have been constantly on
the western front, particularly in the
Cambria area. since Gen. Byng's often
siye OF more than two weeks ago. The
German military machine is being per-
fected. No military contingencies are
being overlooked in the preparations
for the coming effort.
The French and British commanders
on the other hand. are leaving no stones
unturned in anticipation of the German
blow. which. the Teutons hope, will for
ever defeat allied aspirations. The al
lies are on the alert along every sec
ton of the battle line running from
the Flanders coast to Alsace and Lor-
raine. 1t is not to be believed that
great portion of the British forces
which have been held in England have
not been removed to France in the
present urgent contingecy. TIL remov-
nj Of large French and British forces to
the Italian front has made the allied
task Just that much more difficult in
France and Flanders. No attempt is
made to minimize the seriousness of
the situation or the effort necessary to
check Germanic plans. Confidence Is
voiced. however, that when the final
test comes the French and British will
ne masters of the occasion. though un-
doubtedly there will be much bloody
and prolonged fighting
There has been considerable specuIa-
ton as to the comparative strength
OF the two groups of beliigerents when
the Germans will have moved UP their
reinforcements. The exact number Of
troops employed by the French and
British is not known generally. ike
obtainable. There is a possibility that
the allies will be outnumbered from the
standpoint of men. but not surpassed
IN artillery and aviation power The
myers and gunners are expected to ac-
compiish wonderful things when the
Germans strike.
&
Unquestionably the Germans are max
ing strenuous efforts to strengthen their
western front
Germans Nay According to
Wait Until Spring. ,,on. rs.su.ia a
of the U-boat bases on the Flanders
coast Is essential il Germany is to win
this war. The idea that the submarine
is to prove victorious in the struggle
has not yet faded in offieiaI quarters.
Gen. Byng's offensive showed the Teu-
tonic commanders conclusively that
their lines must be strengthened to re-
tain their bases. The military collapse
Of Russia and the armistice with Ru-
mania has given them the chance to
50 strengthen their western line at al
most every vital point. While expected
TO drive forward with the hope of de-
gliding the issue on the western front
BEFORE American forces are definitely in
The hight in large numbers, the pos
sbility that the Germans are only
strengthening their western front
against entente aggression and do not
intend to move forward during the
present winter. but will await the COM
ing spring. always must be borne in
mind The Germans may believe that
they can. cling to their Flanders line
BY the removal of vast forces from the
eastern front and also prevent the
puncturing of their front in the middle,
and consequently may be striving for
the time being to prevent this and this
alone
During the past week Gen. Byns's
foSces in the Cambria region have ex-
tended their positions In minor opera
tions. The chief military event of the
week. however. was the German test
of strength between Bullecourt and
oueant. where they had the advantage
of a sharp salient into British lines.
Three massed attacks were directed
against the British. Bavarians advanc-
ed in waves. The British barrage work
ed havoc in their ranks. Thousands of
Teutons are declared to have been
killed or wounded. in the days battle.
which ragged from early morning until
1afe at night. The Teutons were able
20 obtain positions on a 5o0-yard line
where British advanced positions
once were. but that is all. 1t is de-
ciared that the Germans had hoped to
overpower completely the British by
the sheer weight of numbers, but the
superiority OF British guns made the
eHOft ALMOST COHlpletefy futile
There Is an extreme likelihood of re-
newed operations along that section OF
the western front lying between the
scissors region. Verdun and Alsace and
Lorraine. Artillery engagements on
this front have been raging intermit-
emily for a week, and II is extremely
likely that either the French or the
Germans will strike along this section
of the front in the immediate future
Berlin especially emphasizes the sever
ity of French artillery fire. and an at
tack in the Champagne designed to
force the Germans from Laon is a pos
sibility.
Ten miles Of small mountains and
hundreds of thousands of soldiers
fighting Xix
Teutons Cut Up; hends. still are
Italian Lines Firm. Aus,rn car'
man leGions from the plains Of Italy
Notwithstanding the fearful losses suf-
fered by the Teutonic armies in theft
present series Of efforts to breai
through the Franco British Italian lin,
stretching from the River Piave t.
Lake Garda on the northern Italian
front. the Teutons continue to desper
axsiy huri division after division
against the barrier. But the italian
NaAb remain nrm under the tremen