Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-12-20
CALLS ON j, s,
To HURRY HELP
Lloyd Georges Speech Taken as
Appeal for Speed in Wash
ington and Call to
Arms at Home.
CAMBRIA OPENS DANGER
Offensive Definitely Passes
From British to German
Arms and Calamity Is
Barely Avoided.
Bv United Press.

washington, -. u. Dec. H. AIneTl-
ca must speed up her war work. h
must concentrate on the essentials and
consecrate herself fully and nobly to
the task of victory-a task grown more
difficult through Germany's new found
strength arising from the Russian
~fiasco."
That was the solemn and frank
warning of Secretary of Wan Newton
d. Baker. Other government officials
voice the same sentiment. Baker re-
fused to be specific. others suggested
new shipping speed.
Everywhere officials agree with the
view openly stated in the United Press
story n implied in Premier Lloyd
Georges address that it is up to the
United States to fill in the gap made by
Russia stepping out of the line, that
the United States must do even more.
The Cambria reverse to the British
has not been minimized here. Army
men say 1T stopped little shor of .
big calamity.
Bv United Press.
London, Dec. 17.-"There is no use in
trying to camouflage he gravity of the
situation on the west front-the only
war theater which, in the last analysis
really counts. Premier Lloyd Georges
speech at Gray's Inn was regarded as
q call to arms in the. present day crisis
British Offensive Ends.
The etback to British arms at Cam
brai has not only practically nullified
Field Marshal Haig's splendidly con-
ceived n General Byng's splendidly
executed advance, but it is generally
admitted the reverse marks the end of
the British offensive for some time to
come. The initiative has now passed
to General Won Hinderburg. The most
competent eXperts predict that only
the greatest efforts will prevent the
Germans from fulfilling their boast to
break through the allied lines before
American participation can equalize
the reinforcements of the German line
from the Russian front.
This reinforcement of the enemy was
made possible by the cessation OF
fighting on the east front. Meanwhile
half a million picked men have been
hurled into the assault. General Byng's
reversal demonstrates the untruth OF
prevailing stories of the enemy. 1t
Illustrates the utter a%bsurdity Of the
story that the morale Of the Germans
is waning. 1t gives the lie to the cir
culated story of Germany's impending
collapse.
Carelessness Costs Defeat.
Regardless of who is personally re-
sponsible for the Cambria catastrophe
the fundamental reason doubtless lies
In the fact that the. whole army had
been permeated with such q spirit of
cocksureness, if not overconfidence,
that it had gown careless. Per-
haps it is only natural following an un-
interrupted series of successes, com
bined with tho fact that the army has
never been compelled by hard neces-
sity to learn defensive tactics like the
heroes of the Marine.
Coincidently there has been a genera
development of the tendency to under
estimate the enemy.s capacity for Of
fensive.
Awakened to Crisis.
The fact is the crisis is at hand and
the public is being awakened to a real
tzation of it. Practically every London
paper today sounds the alarm and says
that this spirit of Understanding the
enemy and of cocksureness must be
done away with and at once: thai a
spirit Of do it and do it now" must
take the place of these things if the
war is to be Won for the allies.