The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1917-12-20
Military Power Still With The
Allies, Says Secretary Baker

lead us to conclude that the initia
tive in the West has passed from the
allies to the enemy" say Secretary
Baker in his weekly review of the
military operations, made public to-
night, and devoted largely to the
German advertising of an impending
great offensive.
"During the period of the review
the general military situation in the
West has remained unchanged" con-
tinues the statement which deals with
the week ending yesterday. cru
mors of great preparation on the
part of the Germans with view to
achieving some major stategic sue
cess in the West continue to reach
us.
reports of massed hostile concen-
trations in those -ctorS whore the
enemy proposes to break through the
French front and roll back the al
Heu iile oh - .pIodu SCalc are nu-
merOuS.
D.eanlip. oc Victory.
"The German higher command
seeks peace through victory The
enemy is apparently very eager to
have us believe that he is almost
about to win such victory.
"For the past two years the Ger
mans have been on the defensive in
the West. The bold advancing of an
imposing offensive on the part of the
enemy, which, while in the realm Of
possibility, and therefore should not
be neglected or overlooked, must in
nowise be interpreted TO mean that
the increased strength of the hostile
forces will result in any permanent
strategic advantage to the Germans.
Surveying the outlines Of the gen.
eral war strategy on al fronts, we
find that both bel!igcrcnts have been
on the offensive during the past six
months
"The central powers have taken
the initiative in tn" Eastern and Ital-
ian theat"rS; the allies along the ma
jor fronts in the West, in Palestine,
Mesopotamia and East Africa.
Enemy Advancing in Italy
"The energy has confined his cf-
forts to advancing his lines along the
Russian front, resulting in the cap
ture of Riga, and then by II well con-
tnI ". Il 81 ,lr
sistancc of an intensive political drive
gained marked strategic success in
this section
"The allies in the principal theater
of operations, the West, have been
able to record an almost unintorrupt-
ed series of tactical advantages.
'rhough the capture of the Holy
City can not be held principal mill
tary objective of the campaign so vi
gorously pursued by General Allen
by in this theater, the conquest Of
Jerusalem VIII have wide influence
throughout the Turkish empire .
and will go far toward rcaffirming
the prestige of the allied powers
throughout the Orient
Germany realizes the danger at
tendant upon the waning Of her in
fiuence in the East and will therefore
be more anxious than ever to cor
clude speedy peace before the war
map becomes less favorable
Raids Depress Civilians.
Reports of observers reccntlv out
OF Germany, who were present drr-
ing previous air raids in Germany by
the allies, state that these raids have
had very depressing effect on the
civilian population and have height
ened the growing discomfort among
the German people who now for .hc
hrst time are being brought face to
race with real war conditions.
The armstice concluded by the
Russians with the enemy now in
cludes the entire Eastern front from
the Baltic to the Black Sea. Nc!o.
tlations are not proceeding smoothly.
Inc German demands as reported to