Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-12-10
Release of Troops From Rus
sian Battle Area Gives
Germans Advantage.
AMERICA MUST SPEED
UPWAR PREPARATIONS
Teutons Preparing to Put Into Opera
tion Plans Originating With Success
Over Russians at Tannenbers-Sec-
rotary Baker, in Review Of Situation,
Shows Need Of Increased Activity in
Preparing for American Participation

Washington, Dec. 10.-Germany has
greatest army OF the war. Secretary
Baker declares in his weekly war re-
view made public today.
To meet this menace the United
States must speed up its military prep
arations. the secretary adds, with a
warning that the enemy is planning to
put into execution plans he has been
completing since the Russian defeat
at Tennenberg, early in the war.
The peace negotiations with Russia
have permitted the massing of men on
the western front for that purpose.
THE United States must stand
squaroly behind our soldiers" the sec
retary says. 1T is not sufficient to
prepare to fight: we must prepare to
win."
The review asserts that the German
counter offensive on the Cambrai front
has been successful in winning back
less than one-third e the territory
captured by General :.
The review notes american en-
sineers, exchanging t..!es fro shovels.
fought of Germans side by side with
the British.
The lesson thus drawn Is then taken
up:
This German parrying, the most
powerful blow aimed at the British.
coming. as. It did, Immediately after
the British victory in the same ares,
serves to emphasize the reviving
strength of the Germans In the. west.
Reinforcements From Russian Front.
I'VE must recognize plainly that the
situation in the eastern theater has
brought about a very decided change
in the possibilities OF the military sit
| uation in the west
Germany by leaving only skeleton
divisions in the Russian area, by con-
centrating all available guns, NUM-
tions and men in the theatcr OF oper-
ations in the west has been able to
mass a relatively greater force than
she has ever been able to mobilize in
| France in the past.
This explains the success the enemy
was able to achieve In driving the Brit
| ish back from CambraI.
The enemy realizes that he finds
| himself temporarily in a singularly
fortunate position and he can be
counted upon to take the utmost adj
vantage of it,"
May Achieve Some Advantage.
For long time past he has been
preparing his plans for just such an
| evenuality as would arise when Rus
sia would enter upon negotiations for
separate peace. which has been a
principal German objective ever since
the battle Of Tennenberg.
eve must expect that he Will put
these plans into execution Thus he
may have at his disposal for time n
preponderant numerical superiority in
the west. He may even be able to
achieve some relative advantages In
the field
| THE magnitude OF the task before
US can be more fully realized when
| measured by the success which the
enemy can attain.
1T is not sufficient to prepare to
fight. We must prepare to win"
The review also hints at an expected
German thrust at the French front,
and says:
"The number Of hostile raids on the
French front would indicate that he
was feeling out the strength Of the
French"
! The statement describes events on
published news dispatches. 1t adds
significantly:
| Our declaration OF war agains'
Austria no~~- associates rig ir...:ea.: :ss,s
with the struggle going on in Italy