Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-02-04
Entente Powers Prepare for
Drives on Land From Every
Direction.
DESIRED THAT RUSSIA
PUT HOUSE IN ORDER
Effective Action Expected to Result
From Conference in
Petrograd.
BY OLIVER OWEN KUHN

| Germany in twenty mine months OF
warfar vertically has sabered her way
| through enemy armies to conquests
galore. But. strange as it may appear
| instead of finding a weaker common
enemy, today she on all sides is sur
rounded by foes which are infinitely
stronger than at any period since the
great European struggle began to run
its course. These foes are powerful to
| the point that Germany undoubtedly
realizes that during the coming
months only the greatest defensive eff
forts will hold them in check. even
should her armies escape being pressed
back and back to the very border lines
of the fatherland.
| Utterances Of Teutonic leaders in all
walks of life reflect confidence that
Germany can do as she wills, The fact
that Germany is preparing for defen-
sive military operations with the cry
that the very life of the nation is at
stake indicates that voiced optimism is
surrounded by cloud of doubt.
| 1t Is but natural that, with but lit
| tie hope of further conquest on land,
the war far from decided in her IA
| vor; the enemy spurning peace ana
even enuncia ting doctrine OF de-
| many today, in her crisis, should. de-
| f1ant to the whole world. use the one
| implement which she confidently be-
| lieves can turn the scales and quickly
| bring much desired victory to fruition
that weapon being the submarine.
| Germany has launched an underwater
! brand of warfare which. in view of
| long preparation for just such an
| emergency as has arisen, undoubtedly
will seriously wound the allied ma
tons, more particularly Great Britain.
| Whether Germany in an increditabiy
| short time can bring England to her
| feet through hunger occasioned by
ruthless submarine war is another
| question.
| Germany can do much. But while
she is straining every effort in this
direction being content to hold al
lied armies on land il their present
positions. it is not to be expected that
| the entente powers will fail to bring
| to bear every means to combat Ger
| many's efforts at terrorism ana
"frightfulness."
Great Britain is declared today to
be in better position to battle the sub
Britain Better Able ever before 1t
| will be a war to
to Combat Foe. the finish.
Last February the Germans inaugural
ed great offensive at Verdun under the
leadership Of the crown prince with the
eye single to ending the war, it being
! confidently believed that success here
would SO discourage the French that they
would be willing, in light of previous re-
| Law down arms. The battle of Verdun
proved a boomerang. Germany suffered
| more from the standpoint of casualties
and morale than did the enemy whom it
| was hoped to crush.
| Germany, this February, strikes in an
other direction with the same hope OF
ending the struggle uppermost in mind.
| viii the German era of submarine war;
fare prove the "Verdun of the seas
With subma rines, hundreds of them,
| striking in all directions and at every
vessel of whatsoever character entering
1.-THE blockade limits prescribed by the
| Berlin government, one possibility is
pronouncedly marked. That is, the pres
ent U-boat war undoubtedly will usher
| in a long period of naval warfare.
| In view of the number of nations en-
gagged. the present European struggle has
been singularly free from naval engage
ments. though the few major operations
| that have been fought have been OF
strenuous character. But SO prominent
have land operations been since the very
| first, the naval side of the war up to the
| present juncture surely will find out small
space when the history of the war finally
| is written. But from now until the con-
f1ict closes naval engagements of major
Importance may be expected at any
moment.
| K
Germans undoubtedly will make their