The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1917-12-28
A HARD GERMAN
DRIVE COMING

Germany's protested contempt for
Americas war preparations is some
what belied by evidences of her des
perate determination to win before
our soldiers arrive in force. Thus
dispatches tell of westward-moying
troop trains, congesting the road to
FLANDERS, of Austrian forces shifted
to the French front, and of a grow
ing intensity of Teutonic artillery
tire along the whole western lines.
1T is common talk in Vienna" writes
a Bern correspondent, that Austrian
troops Will take part on a big scale
IN the operations that the Germans
are preparing against France in order
to obtain a definite result in the west
before the American army is ready
to prevent the realization of such an
enterprise Berlin herself alludes
to the Strong reenforcements" re-
celNed by hef western armies, and q
Paris dispatch of December II, to tbe
New York Morning TELEGRAPH de-
Scrlbes the allied armies as waiting
Tor the most powerful German Of
fensiVe since 1914" to strike some
where along their 360-mile Wester,
front. Germans only hope of victory.
explains a London correspondent of
the New York Tribune, lies in a
'knock-out'' blow, because she is bat
ling against an opponent whose
strength is growing with every round.
lnd who in the course of time will
inevitably be the stronger" There
ore, observers warn us, December is
likely to witness the beginning of a
supreme military effort on the part
# the Central Powers, in which they
Vlll hllrl against our Western lines
millions of men released from the
russian front. 'The sole remaining
nance for German victory in this
var, declares MIR. Frank Fl. Sim
nds. military expert of the New
,ork Tribune, ''lies in an offensive
which shall dispose of France before
he United States can arrive"
From Washington also comes Sec
etary of War Bakers warning that
ne United States must speed up mil
tary preparations to offset German
Jams against France that have been
since the defeat of the Rus
ian armies at Tannenberg early in
he war. The peace negotiations
18th Russia have now made it possible
. shift and mass men to execute
hese plans. To meet this menace,
ays Secretary Baker, at is not suf-
cient to prepare to fight, we must
repare to Win.'
The normal strength of the Ger
'ans in the West, according to the
Military expert of the New York
INES, has been about 100 divs-
ms, or approximately two and a
air million troops. but in the last
1ree months" he says, "nearly twice
many divisions have been iden-
lied, so that the number of German
oops in Belgium and France has
cen, during that period, not less
IAN four and half million" We
'ad further:
opposed to the Germans in the
n n
IAN four million British and French.
)r the first time, then, since the
st year of the war, Germany finds
'rse'1 numerically superior to her
'emles. And! moreover, there is
cry indication that this SUPERIOR
will be maintained at least nnti1
e summer of 1913, possibly until
e winter.
Germany has every available man
the front The possible recruit
g during the year will be small.
1t equally so will be that of Eng
nd and France. France has drained
r man power. Britain likewise has
oroughly combed her population
men of military age and fitness.
e indications are that summer will
lind more than a half million
nerican troops in Europe. so that,
best Germany's numbers will be
rdly more than equaled.--Literary
gest.