The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1918-02-05
GERMANY'S DRIVE ON
THE WESTERN FRONT
ENORMOUS RESERVE ASSEM-
BLOW BEFORE SPRING.
BLED TO DEAL STAGGERING
U. S. WON'T BE ABLE TO
DO MUCH BEFORE 1919

AtaAAansS NOW supported by British,
Holding Their Own. Armistice in
Russia, and That Country Now
Practically an Ally of Germany.
AS yet the expected blow by the
Germans on the western front has
not fallen. Evidently the time has
not arrived. But there is no doubt
in allied countries, or among allied
military leaders, that a great leu
tonic offensive is planned. In speech
the other day Lloyd George, the Brit
ish premier, took note of the situa-
ton when he said sit would be folly
to underrate the danger, equal folly
to eXaggerate it and greatest folly
of all not to face it." Mr.. George
made an appeal to Great Britain for
further sacrifices and more fighting
men until American forces arrive
to Offset the burden that had been
cast on the allies by the detection
of Russia and the reverse in Italy"
That the Russian collapse has en-
abled the Germans to concentrate
enormous forces on the western front
is one of the great disappointments
of the war. Such forces have been
assembled, however, together with
great quantities of war supplies, and
when Germany is ready a drive is to
be made to break if possible the
power of France and sweep the Brit
ish clear into the sea. Then Ger
many will be ready for the United
States.
Such is the German program. Ger
many has now on the western front
the most stupendous army she ever
assembled. In addition to the $50 or
more divisions usually kept on the
western front, or a total of about
100000 men, she has now added a
half million picked soldiers from the
eastern front and enormous masses
of artillery and supplies, some of the
latter taken from the Italians in the
great sweep along the Isonzo.
Pushing Back the Italians.
1t is believed the Germans plan
new drive for Paris and against the
channel ports. But whether the blow
is to fall Immediately or be deferred
until spring is known only to the
German high command. The purpose
is to break the spirit of France be-
fore the United States is able to
throw her great strength into the
contest and the same German pur-
pose that is directed against France
is being exhibited in the case of italy.
The fighting between the Brenta
and Piave rivers, where the combin-
ed Austrian and German forces are
making enormous sacrifices to break
through to the Venetian plains, is
growing in bitterness and intensity
daily. The Germans now have their
heavy artillery in action and reports
from that front tell US that German
shells are being hurled a distance of
eight miles back of the Italian lines
along the Piave. For that matter the
heavy artillery of the French and
British are now aiding the Italians.
The British have been heavily en-
gagged with the Germans between the
Brenta and Piave rivers, while the
Italians, encouraged and stiffened by
the British support have launched a
counter offensive against the leu
tons and driven them from the Cap
rifle hill, one of the hills dominating
the head of the Lorenzo valley lead
ing to the Venetian plains. 1t is very
necessary that Italy should hold her
present lines, for defeat on the
Piave would not only force the Ital-
ians back to the line of the Adige
river, but might well prove the I'M
doing of Italy. The situation is none
too promising on either the Italian
or Western front.
Up to Uncle Sam.
1t is evident that if the allies are
able to hold their own on the west
ern front this winter and next spring
they will be doing all that can be ex-
pected of them under the conditions
brought about by the Russian deba-
Gle. Another statement is bound to
result and will continue until the
strength of the United States can be
fully exerted. That will not be be-
fore 1919. Americans no doubt will
be fighting in the trenches by spring;
but the strength of the United States
cannot be exerted much before the
spring drive of 1919. We will not
be ready before. 1t will take us as
long to prepare as it took Great Bri-
tain, and Great Britain did not be-
gin to use her new armies until the
battle of the Somme in July, 1916.
Even then they were none too we'll
prepared and paid the usual penalty.
Were it not for the necessity of help
ing the French before Verdun the
Somrne offensive very likely would
not nave been begun when it was.