Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-08-10

New YOrk.-Germany SlIudllon at
the end Of three years of war appears
less favorable than 1t did elthef one
year ago or two years ago.
She has to her credit in the last
tvelvemonth the crushing of ill-pre-
pared Roumania and the conquest OF
two-thirds of that nations territory.
But in the principal theater OF war,
the west, east and Italian fronts, the
entente allies have shown, on the
whole, a decided superiority to the
central powers.
In the materials of war the nations
fighting for democracy clearly have an
increasing advantage over the kaiser's
legions. They have dealt the enemy
blow after blow which have told heav-
lily in lives, if not in territory.
Germany More Desperate.
Germany's plight is rendered more
desperate than it was on August l,
1916, by the accession of the United
States and several minor peoples to
the ranks of her enemies. Almost the
whole world is now lined up against
that nation.
Every belligerent breads another
winter of war, but Germany most of
all. She lacks many things to face the
rigors of a cold campaign-not only
shells and guns, but wool for warm
clothing and sufficient coal to run her
rapidly deteriorating railroads and
her factories and keep those at home
comfortably warm, not to speak Of the
famine in the food fats so necessary
to those facing zero weather.
Looking back on the long truce of
the spring on the eastern front, it is
hard to realize that the Russians just
one year ago were in the midst of a
splendid offensive much like that
which has surprised the world in the
present month. In the 1916 drive Brus-
siloff pushed far within Bukowina and
Galicia and crossed the borders OF
Hungary. He took about $4,000 pris-
oners, mostly Austrians, and forced the
enemy to concentrate masses of relia'
BILE German troops, aided by a few
Turks, to check him.
The real reason his drive came to o
halt, however, we know now was lack
OF ammunition, failure Of transport
treason within the czar's armies anC
wretched bureaucratic inef1ciency
These handicaps seem to have been re
moved from the courageous Musco
vites, perhaps for all time.
Unfortunate Roumana.
10 ho
tonic powers August 81 and immedi
ately invaded Pennsylvania, where tn,
weak Austrian guards were easil,
pushed back and the important cite
Of Hermannstadt and Kronstadt wer
soon in the invaders hands.
The kaiser sent Won Falkenhayn,
splendid strategist just displaced b.
Won Hindenburg, as chief of the grea
general staff, to command on thi
front, While Won Mackensen heade,
the Germans, Bulgarians and Turks
who threw themselves on Roumani
from the south.
The Roumanians proved no mate
for the combination Of foes. Skillfu
work by German spies, or the treact
cry Of certain members of their ow
army, put the Roumanians' plans q
campaign in the Teutons' hands, it /
now divulged. Bucharest fell Decen
Der 6, and ten days later all Walachi
was lost. On December Is Russia
. troops took over the whole Roumania
} front, and few weeks later the Tel
ton advance was checked along tn
line of the Sereth and Danube river
Somme Battle Continues.
: In the west, however, Germany We
facing a far different problem fro
: the poorly Outfitted and trained Rol
: manian peasants. When the third yes
; Of the war opened the battle of IL
4 SOmme was still going on vigorousl
with the French and British showing
4 constantly growing superiority over Il
foe. Bit by bit through the SUNNI
: and autumn the ground was wrencht
q from the kaiser's men until the comir
] Of winter smothered the offensive Z"
mud and blood" and, according to II
= British commander, Sir Douglas Hal
J. saved his opponents from an immeC
ate great enforced retirement.
= On September % it was announc,
= that the French and British had tax,
: $500 prisoners in the Somme bait
Il between July 1 and September 19. TT
total was later considerably increase
q French Win at Verdun.
o At Verdun, too, the Germans 81
J. fered. The French in battles of t
L fall and winter won back most of t
q ground lost in the offensive of t
y spring of 1916 and captured more tn
$4,000 prisoners, with slight loss
L themselves.
IL The spring campaign ins the VIZ
l. opened this war with the Germa
II falling back from the great sale
y spearpoint directed at Paris-confe
j. ing thereby either their weakness
E. their aversion to a further offensive.
ir though at the time German writ,
1t hinted darkly that Won Hindenbr
e, chad something up his sleeve
e, The strategic retirement" beg
about March II, and the Teutons
OF umphantly declared it would prev,
es an allied offensive this year. But ii
ct spoke too soon.
oy On April the British stormed h
u Vimy Ridge, taking on this and S
at ceeding days about 1900 prisone
al The other enemy stronghold along
es British line was Messines Ridge, so,