The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1917-12-20
LONDON OPINION rs THAT
THEY ARE THE ALLIES
STRONG MEN"
Five Crucial Points of
War
Review of Prospects for Coming
Year as Seen by English Lead
ers-German Full Strength Is
Past.

LONDON, Dec 19.-The nations in
volved in the world war stand today
upon the threshold of the crucial year
of the struggle and the few days in
tervening before the beginning of 1918
will see a new era of war management
ushered in.
The two figures that loom up as
the most conspicuous and most domi
nant for leadership on the entente
side during the next year are President
Wilson and Premier Lloyd George, the
allies two strong men,"
The events of the present year that
will exert the most powerful influ-
ence upon 1918 campaigns are these:
1.-The entry of the United States
into the struggle with the American
government committed to fight to vic
tory;
2-The collapse OF Russia as a fight
ing unit and the possibility of a sep
arate peace involving Russia and Rou-
mania;
3-The reorganization of the allies
method of conducting the war to Sc
cure absolute unity and coordination,
not only in directing the armies but
in supplying them as well;
1.-The Austro-German invasion of
northern Italy, carrying the fighting
into the Venetian plains for the first
time since Italy entered the war;
5-The concentration of Britain's
efforts against Turkey in the near
East with the evident purpose of
crushing forever Germany's imperial
/ dream Of complete control of trade
routes from Berlin to the Persian
gulf.
There is every indication that there
will be continuous fighting on the
western and Italian fronts throughout
the winter and that spring and early
summer will see a tremendous i'm
petus to the allies blows with great
masses of Americans on the firing
line.
Although Americas original war
plans called only for troops on the
western front, the declaration of war
against Austria indicates that 1918
will see the stars and stripes on the
Italian battle front.
Germany's submarine war aimed
chiefly against British shipping has
proved a failure. The ruthless under
water warfare has been in progress
almost year and, despite the claims
and boasts made in Berlin, England
is as far from being starved as she
was before the submarines got active.
Germany is to make her greatest
effort in 1918 with the hope of deliv-
ering a crushing blow on the west
ern and Italian fronts before the
American army can get fully into ac-
ton. She has reached the maximum
Of her submarine output and great
fleet will be operating on and under
the high seas while the armies, re-
leased from the eastern front, will be
hurled against the gallant soldiers
fighting the allied cause in Belgium,
France and Italy.
But the allies are not to be caught
mapping. The leaders of the entente
armies know what to look for from
Germany and plans are being made to
meet IT,
True, France has suffered from her
exhausting struggle, but there is still
plenty of fight left in those uphold
ing the glorious tri-color.
Military critics look for the the
following to happen in 1918:
Germany will deliver her most ire
mendous stroke. 1t will fail The
allies will come back with a smashing
blow that will send the Teutons reel
ing. That will be the turning point
and the vision of peace, which has
been hidden so long behind the black
clouds of war, will begin to rise in the
splendor of an allied victory.