Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1917-11-16
GERMAN SMASH '
POLITICAL MOVE
SECRETARY BAKER SAYS ITAL.
IAN DRIVE AsTUTE STRATEGY
OF GERMAN POLITICIANS.
Situation in West Satisfactory, but
Fear Expressed That Civil War in
Russia Will Allow Teutons to
Send Men to Western Army.

Washington.-The effect OF Ger
many's political offensive" against
Russia and Italy upon the task ahead
of the allies is recognized in Secretary
Bakers weekly review of military on.
erations, issued by the war depart
ment.
The close INTERPRETATION of events on
all fronts cannot too frequently be
emphasized" says the review.
THE political situation in Russia
made it possible for the enemy to de-
tach important contingents in the east,
which We're speedily transported to the
Italian front.
1T is not unlikely that before mi
tiating their powerful drive against
the Italian forces, the enemy made
painstaking and systematic attempts
to undermine the morale of the Ital-
ian troops, with view to breaking
down their resisting power.
This carefully planned political Of
fensive conducted preparatory to their
military offensive reveals clearly the
present methods Of the Germans.
Surveying the broader aspects Of
the European situation today, we find
that the enemy In the east in confin-
Ing his efforts to political propaganda
Along the Italian sector he has recent
ly made desperate attempts to secure
decision by means of politico-mili-
tary drive. In the west, while at
tempting to sap the fighting strength
of the belligerent peoples, the enemy
has now been compelled to act on the
defensive and liz being slowly but
surely driven back.
1T should be borne in mind, how
ever, that the further disintegration
of the Russian forces will mean that
the Germans will be able to thin out
their line, along this front, which will
thus automatically contribute to the
stiffening of their resistance in the
west, as well as render available added
contingents to take part in the en-
gagements now proceeding in Italy.
During the week just closed, both
the British and French were able to
record significant tactical gains, the
elimination of long series of pow
erfully driven offensives.
with Passchendaele securely In
British hands, the first stage of the
operations begun during the last week
of September have been brought to a
successful conclusion
THE French counterpart of the
British success took place north Of
the Aisne. Here the retreat of the
enemy anticipated last week was car
ried out. The pressure of the French
offensive, which has grown slowly and
methodically in volume and intensity,
reached a climax when by the recent
French advance in this sector they
were enabled to enfilade the German
lines along the crest of the Chemin-
des-Dames.
For the past three years the pres
ence of the enemy on this ridge had
been source of anxiety to the French.
To dislodge them was a principal OBJ
jective of the repeated offensives de-
veloped by General Petain since last
April. The sudden forced evacuation
of some forty square miles of the most
important terrain in this sector of the
western front has been the tangible
result achieved.
1.-The Importance of this successful
French advance must not be over
looked. 1t means more than u mere
gain of so many square miles of ter
ritory; 1t means the penetration of
the powerfully fortified Siegffied line,
hitherto considered by the enemy im-
pregnable, and pushes back his main
defensive positions to within five miles
of the fortress of Laon and major OBJ
jectives.
In the sector where a small detach-
ment of our troops had taken up their
places in the trenches as a part of
their training, the enemy Gas is GUS
tomary in trench warfare when fresh
troops are believed to have taken
places in front-line trenchesl for re-
connaissance purposes, executed
welf-planned raid and succeeded in
temporarily penetrating the short seq
ment of the line held by our forces.
infiicting a few casualties and taking
prisoners.
Along the eastern front no prepare
tons of artillery Importance occurred.
The enemy, instead of attacking, has
renewed his efforts to fraternize with
the Russians. Owing to the involved
political situation and the fresh out.
breaks of the extremist elements. 1t
is probable that these may have
marked influence on the general STRAIT
egg of the war. which we must be pre-
pared TO meet"