The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1917-12-11
RODGRIG Q. MATHEsOt. EDITOR
The Week In the War

VLII1H OUT doubt the Entente Allies last
wv week felt the effects Of Russia's collapse as
d war factor more seriously than at any time since
the beginning sof the disorders Of that disrupted
country. 1t was to have been expected that such
would be the case when an armistice had been
arranged along great sectors Of the Russian front.
II has brought home more full realization of the
new Complications that surround the Allies, OF the
largely added difficulties which must now be over
GENE ..s" - ..,. .,.|. -. 49,. .uE3 &I@
Were Russia still factor in the great war the
Tcutous would never have been able to draw
from other fronts the forces that were necessary
for the tremendous offensives that were launched
against the British about Cambria on the Western
front and the Asiago and Brenta sectors of the
Italian 'front.' In all three sectors the Teutons
used vast forces OF masscd troops and appear to,
have paid no heed to the immense mortality which
their assaults were costing them. ei
Press dispatches from the Italian fronts agree
in characterizing the assaults in that war theater
as the greatest effort which the Central Powers
have exerted during any period Of the war. Heavi-
iy ioutnumbering the Allies and with afar greater
gun power the Austro- Germans sought to exert
those efforts to the utmost. In sheer desperation
the Italians, at last reinforced by British and
French troops and guns, held their ground and
hurled back the onrushing, grey clad hordes
II has been like wild and storm tossed sea
breaking heavily against strong sea wall The
wall has been damaged in some places, it has been
somewhat weakened and little broken in some
places, but the wall still stands and holds back
the sea-. ~ 81 ~ E-g s.. q. 4 ~ E l4E .G
Latest dispatches from the war zones say that
the Asiago battle was virtually suspended yester-
day and that the enemy has been checked and pre-
vented from breaking through in the Brenta sec y
tor. Berlin has claimed gains and the taking oil
fifteen thousand prisoners on the Italian front.
But at what cost! Accounts agree in calling
these battles the boodiest of the war and Italian
sources report the losses suffered by the enemy
The heaviest sustained on any field, OF the war.
And the Allies still stand firm and block the road
TO Venice. As an epic this Italian stand has Hora-
tics defense Of the bridge multiplied ten thousand
times ,..,... , ~. ~ . ILL.,. -. ..#....~ u r.. r.
In the Cambria sector the Germans were on the |
offensive, here also employing heavy reinforce
ments drawn from the Russian fronts. Without
such renforcements Rupprecht could not have
held Cambria and with them he was able to spend
thousands upon thousands of boche lives in an
effort to force General Byng back from the strong
position which he and his British forces had Sc
cured. General Byng did withdraw his men from
some of themore exposed salients and by so doing
was able to strengthen his lines, but the German
losses on this front would be enormous in any1
comparison other than with the Venetian front |
Here also has German blood been shed in vain, |
and German lives been sacrificed as few other !
leaders than Rupprecht would sacrifice them. 1t
is a repetition of the days of last summer along
Chemin DIES Danes but upon larger scale.
On the Western front the week ends with ad-
vantages lying with the Allies .
Not all of the Russian forces have entered upon
an armistice. On the Mesopotamia front, at least,
they ard still fighting. Dispatches OF last week
told OF their satisfactory and valuable cooperation
Jerusalem's recovery from the Moslems draws
close. The British press in constantly and steadi-
~ and, fearing massacre and rapine in the last
hours OF the Mohammedan hold on the city, the
Hebrew and Christian populations have left the
city Indications now arc that by Christmas day
Jerusalem will be in Christian hands
g+sEf n - r." It