The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-12-04
WILSON RECOMMENDS
WAR DECLARATION
AGAINST AUSTRIA
GERMANY IS MAKING
DESPERATE ATTEMPT
Sec Baker Thinks the Kaiser Is Seeking
a Decision Because of Pressing
Demands Inside the Nation.

Washington, d. c.. Dec. An eiror
by the Germans to bring on decisive
J engagement on the western front is sug
Igested in the departments review OF
military operations for the week ending
Dec. /, issued last night by Secretary
Baker.
''The outstanding feature of the gener.
al military situation to-day" says the
review, sis to be found in the everin-
creasing mobility of action of the forces
engaged.
"Static warfare is giving way to ac-
tivity of movement.
| ut seems that a decision is being
sought by the enemy, who realizes that
he cannot endure for much longer pc
riod the strain of trench warfare int
posed by the allies in the west.
This explains the effort cf the central
powers in massing considerable forces in
order to invade Italya concentration
of troops made possible by the internal
situation in Russia. This offensive was
understand to crush the Italians and
compel them to sue for peace.
Five weeks of desperate fighting has
brought them no nearer their real objec-
tive in this theatre.
"The Italian armies suffered serious re-
verses in the early stages of the battle
They were compelled to give way and
for time the military situation along
the Italian front was serious. But the
enemy had under esti mated the resisting
power of the Italians and discounted the
splendid morale which their forces would
display when the full magnitude of the
impending crisis was visualized.
The hoped-for revolution in Italy,
which had been seditiously fomented by
German propagandists and which was an
important part of the German plan of
invasion, failed to materialize
THE italians, by magnificent effort,
their broken forces, rapidly |
reformed their cadres, and backed by tie |
allies, were able, single handed, to check |
the Austro-German invasion.
1T would be futile to under estimate |
the great losses, both of men and mate
rial, suffered by the Italians. These
losses should serve to set forth in bolder
relief the heroic efforts of those elements
Df the Italia armies which were able to
.hwart the plans of the central empires.
The closing of the Swiss frontier for
wo weeks may indicate that the enemy
$ transporting large forces, both men
md guns to the west
The enemy is constantly detaching
arge contingents from the eastern the
tire. All good troops which can posi-
'ly be spared are being dispatched to
'ther zones of operations.
$50 that, though the season is not pro.
'ltious for engaging in military enter
rise on large scale, yet owing to the
Imperative necessity for continuance of
his mobility, further offensives are to be
"On the other hand, the allies will give ,
he enemy no respite and any offensive !
ndertaken by the Germans will be =,
romptly met by counter stroke of ,
reat severity.
"The battle of Cambria continues. with
anguinary intensity The enemy. after ,
he first onrush of the British. by bring
lg up fresh forces, has been able TO boil
-er up his weakened defenses. which for
time lmperllled the security of the en-
re Hindenburg line A
However, when the Germans had re-
'yered from the first blow and were
Bile to stand their ground, no further
itensive gains of terrain by the British
ere to be anticipated.
Hostile reaction has been extremely :
'avy, and costly counter attacks made :,
: the enemy have enabled him to re. q
Ike certain area, as well as occupy =
rrain southwest of the new salient u
he British have the situation well in =
md and announce the repulse of the :
emy, who has been driven from the =
'sitions captured. " "
THE situation along the Italian front r
rapidly becoming normal Enemy as = .
ults in the northern sector are subsid- &
2. Allied cooperation has now been ~ =,
mly established in measure reliev. =.
g the Italians. y
I'm the Palestine theatre of operations. VI
e rapid advance of the British on .Jeru
lem, after the fall of Jaffa, has been a.
retarded The resistance of ~ ~
e Turkish forces has considerably in a.,
sased and the necessity of bringing up ~ :.
rther reinforcements and material has ~
used delay in the offensive operations. /" ~ ~