The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-12-12
viii Put All Strength of Ger
many Into Gigantic Attack
Agains. British and French
ALLIES, AnSWERT,G
GUN FOR GUN, A Z
SUPREMELY CONFIDENT
All Military Experts Are Busy
Guessing as to Wher- Ger
mans VIII Aim Blow Ce-
signed to Break FIRST Lines

London. Dec. ti.---N cyclone Of
German shells hattcring the
French and British I!nr., all tAt,
way from the swiss tordsr - the
sea Is usherine III Hindenbure
supreme effort to win the sYar I'm
the west before America appears
In force npon the fighting i1,e.
Those who know some. hing
about the German hobby of COM
isining Psychological with mill
tary effe<I would not I've surpriS-
Cd to see the big drive begin at
dawn tomorrow. For ts> borrow
IL the anniversary OF tii- central
powcGN' peace offer to the alIic,
If the usual m fhod j. pursued.
neat little leaflets viii he scatter
I'D Try the thousands among the
German troops. with the iesxeud:
"A year ago today We Offered
peace. They refused. New irt
us win 1T by the force of arms"
Such. indeed. is the tenor Of an jn
tervisw Field Marshal Hindenbura
has Just given to an Austrian journal
iEt. Said he;
I'VE have often been ready for
peace. Now 1t is our enemies turn.
They will come - us"
Count CzerAtn nj, Bcrllu.
In the meantime. Count Czernlr.
the Austro~f. uagarian foreign minis
ter, has arrived in BerIhs One leading
German organ says his visa may have
s<sessGe:SGo1s L: sGaFs~ss or tiEo @tocgsr ~.
the war. Some here infer from t4is
that there is a deal on for the trans
fer of large Austro- Hungarian force.
70 the west To helm the Germans In
the impending smash. But that the
DRY Is not shared by those who ara
familiar with the reluctance OF tho
herman high command TO employ any
nut German troops in q purely Ger
man offensive.
What is thought more likely Is th~t
the central powers are getting togAtb-
err on the arnaistice with Russia tn
Keep the eastern front the rest cure
tnat it has been for Teuton troons
iof months is vital pre-condltion. for
the expected drive in the west Also,
II is regarded as more than probable
that the Teutonic allies are. draftlnr
declaration to the world" oointing
70 the offer Of a year ago, reiteratfnc
'helr Willingness to conclude peace.
ana AIDING that pending a favora Bile
reply from the entente they will trv
to force IT In the west.
IN TINS connection, signi *~ance IA
attached to an article by Count IN
tieVentlow IN which the firebrand milf
taffst editor says Foreign NinjStnr
Won kueihmann = rafting "A declara-
tion mat Germany wtl hold the coast
OF F1anders as lori ga - British ara
IN 1aiais. but not s,~ger.
Where WIN m,w FAM
where Will the o~rmau blow be-
STRUCK! Military EXPORTS wera vietns.
with one another toasy. trying to an
swer the auestioS But none claims
to know IL. The A~,m bardrnen: now,
under way In similar to that which
preceded the break through shs
isonzo Every vital front is bathea In
a continuous avala che of hot metal.
with every hour tie intensity OF the
po,n paFament gIows. Gradually IL de-
veiops into DUN Ire. Overhead an
amanda OF airtaen the Germans vera
SAID today to have 2,500 machines
forms fighting screen to prevent hos
tile recoEnai@ ance. Throughout tina
day the rattl of machine guns from
duelling tfyeFs Joined in the prebattls
noise.
Feverbh Activity Goes ON.
Behind the screen of fire -heichinx
guns and the watch in the air" fever
tsh activity goes on. The foe issnut.
ting the finishing touches on his Prem
aratfons for the drive. All that ia
known OF these preparations is that
trains upon trains with reserves and
munitions are arriving behind the Ger
man lines. and that Hindenhurg has
accumulated the ms Nimum strength OF
his lighting machine fer the prospae-
tive blow, The difficulties of winter
weather he proposes to ccunterha lance
by preponderance of men and guns. 50
seriously does he take Americas men.
ace that despite his recent belittipr
words, spoken for home consumption.
he is about TO set everything on one
card; winter drive in the west, a
thing hitherto regarded as futile by the
best military brains in Europe
Large Plant Blows Up.
The omens accompanying hts prerA~
rations are not cheerful. Two German
munitions trf ms coiiided last week on
the way to the western front. II was
learned today. and the press bureau
states that one Of the largest NUM-
lions factories In the world. that near
Frankfort -on 1.-The Main, CALLED the
Griesheinn Chemical works. blew mn
last month.
Both the British and French war -