The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1917-12-18
MILITARY EXPERTS OPTIMIS-
TIC REGARDING THE EU-
ROPEAN WAR
Reported German Vic
tories Prove False
Teuton Entertainments Not IN
takable-General Scott Special
Military Representative of the
President Abroad

WASHINGTON. Dec 17.-General
optimism spread through army and
navy circles. The wave of apparent
pessimism. manifested for a fortnight
due to unsatisfactory cables from
Italy, France and even Great Britain
has been dissipated. The army and
navy at last had some real facts be
fore it, Admiral William S. Benson
and General Tasker II. Bliss were re-
sponsible. Both were back on the job
today. And they used strong Ian
guage in denOuncing the various
stories that the Germans had taken
over the offensive everywhere on the
western front.
THAT report is a damned pro-Ger-
man lie and piece of characteristic
ally perniciOus pro-German prOpa-
ganda.' is the way one of these high
ranking officers designated the re-
port. They could not be quoted on
essential military secrets of course.
But it can be stated as a fact that
all along the western front the Ger
mans continue on the defensive and
their morale is far below what it was
even six months ago
The United States will redouble its
efforts in men, materials and ships
almost Immediately. This must come
the members of the recent mission
said today. They have completely pre-
pared detailed plans to accomplish
this end. These plans were initiated
today-less than As hours after the
mission landed at an Atlantic port
and will bring some real surprise to
the enemy before the spring cam
paign is well under way
Although the Germans have been
pouring troops from the east into the
reserve lines behind the western
trenches for more than a month now
they have been unable even to dent
the French front. And the loss of a
good part of the gains made by Cen
eral Byngs men in their famous drive
in which the American engineers suf-
fered severely, was due to a failure
of judgment on the part of a certain
British commander The German re-
Inducements, the army experts here
today learned, have naturally increas-
ed German man power, but there has
been no corresponding increase in ma
terials, especially in artillery, which
is so essentially vital if Won linden
burg hopes to resume the general Of
fensive.
Even though from now on the en-
tire artillery and ammunition output
; of Germany and Austria is poured to
the west the allies will retain their
) artillery supremacy, the returned Wis
itors said today. This is due to the
) fact that fully one-fourth of the Ger
man shells are defective because of
5 scarcity of certain essentials
Germany's supreme effort" about
5 which so much has been coming from
neutral and even allied countries for
the last month, will be very welcome
to the allies and especially the United
States, the returned officers explained
today But they did not talk very
hopefully of it taking place They
seemed to feel that il was entirely
possible that the reports of this plan
were made in Germany and intend
ed for consideration in connection with
a planned Christmas peace feeler."
TO the Rhine and far beyond" is
now the slogan of the American forces
: at the front and training in France.
Throughout all ranks it was explained
today, there no longer is any willing
. ness to subscribe to the claim that the
2 German entertainments are untakable.
/ From General Pershing down the feel
- ing is general that when the next real
advance comes, whether it be next
spring or a year from then, it will
t carry itself through all Notifications
S 1t was learned today that Major
[ l0cucIdl 11uBn Il. Scout, former chief
OF staff, is President Wilson's eyes in
e France. He has headquarters there
S and is in close touch with both the
t president and French high commands.
S He makes complete reports to the
president so that the latter is CON
S stantly kept in complete touch with
every military development
y Whether the general eventually is
h TO be named as member of the allied
. military council is something which
t. Is known only to the president But
e in his present position he is taking
l. a great deal of routine work off the
n shoulders of General Pershing and is
e making it possible for the president
S to deal intelligently with any military
problem that may reach him
h The reports of Admiral Benson and
General Bliss, Vance Mccormick and
{ all OF the members of the committee
= now are before the president. CoIone
= e. M House, chairman, was expected
to come down from New York toda,
e to personally explain conditions Il
n the president and to give him some
first hand information about confiden
e tial matters that could not be reduc
ed TO writing