Evening star., 1918-12-31

nH the year 1918 than in any
year that has passed since
time began. This moment
Gus twelve-month period comes to a
close with the world at peace, after
more than four years Of the most
sanguinary fighting of this or any
other age.
During the year great nations have
crumbled, new nations have sprung
into being, thrones have tottered and
fallen, monarchs who once ruled hum
eireds of millions of people with an
iron hand have fled for their lives or
have fallen victim to the wrath of
reople intoxicated by their new-won
freedom
To America was granted the privil-
ege of supplying the power that turn
ed impending defeat into victory for
the defenders of democracy and
civilization. Americans would detract
nothing from the glory that belongs
to the heroic armies of France. Great
Britain, Belgium. Italy and Serbia.
which though tired and worn, held
the foe at bay for four long and
bloody years; but there is glory
enough for all, and the world recog-
ItlEtS tuC OtDI " niSh II oNCS ~ shS
khaki-clad men of America who
fought and fell at Chateau Thierry, at
Belleau wood, at CantiGny. at St
Nihicl, and who in the closing days
of the war fought their way through
hail of steel to historic Sedan,
threatening the armies of the foe with
a debacle from which they escaped
only by unconditional surrender
The coming of peace finds America
and her allies strong and fully able
aravnonS;hi1itiaS that
with victory. On the other hand. 1t
finds the nations responsible for the
world cataclysm exhausted and torn
by civil disorders that are born OF
empire of Austria-Hungary in ruins.
from which are already rising ne"
free nations. 1t finds the German
empire disIu upted and threatened with
dissolution.
The throes of civil war The world
gets only fragments of news regard
ing the real situation in the land or
the former cZar, but these fragments
have told terrible story OF anarchy
and class strife, in which thousands
of persons have perished, slain IN
bloody riots or ruthlessly executed by
the bolshevik leaders, who control
large part of the once great empire
Peace finds the menace OF autocratlc
militarism supplanted by the menace
of bolshevism, which is attempting to
extend its anarchistic propaganda
throughout the world.
But amid all the uncertainties that
peace has brought, the world re)oiceS
that the last citadel of autocracy has
been swept away before the rising tlde
of democracy, giving assurance that
the millions who died upon the field of
battle did not die in vain. Brighter
days for all mankind have dawned
with the passing of the year 1913.
.s ::
HOW TIE The year opened
WAR WAS WON. with the opinion
generally prevail
ing that the world-war could not be
brought to a conclusion in less than
eighteen months. 1t was an open
secret that the German high command
was planning to make supreme ef-
for. on the western front during the
spring and summer of 1918, and it was
not believed that the allied armies
could do more during the year than
hold the enemy and let him wear him
self out in fruitless efforts to gain
a military decision. Then. it was be-
lieved. the allies could take the Of
fensive and win decisive victory the
following year. During the early
days of 1915 it was known that many
divisions of German troops, released
from the Russian front, were being
transferred to the west front in prep
aration for the grand offensive.
Interest during these days centered
in events that were tranSplrlng IN
Russia. and in long-range peace dis
cussions in which President Wilson
and Chancellor Won Hertling figured.
On January s President Wilson, in
an address to Congress, promulgated
the famous fourteen points,, which
he declared should form the basis OF
world peace. On January 10 German
Foreign Minister Won kuhlmann an
nounced that because of, failure OF
the allies to accept the German offer
of peace without annexatlonS or in
IDENTITIES. made during the closing
days of 1917, the offer would be with
drawn. On January "a. in a speech
before the reichstag. Chancel1or Won
Hertlins declared that some of PreSl-
dert Wilson's fourteen points could
be accepted tentatively. while
others would not be acceptable.
III Russia Premier Lenin and For
eign Minister. TrotSky intrenched
themselves more securely by diSSolv-
ing the constituent assembly, which
me at Petrograd January is. On
january Il an all-Russian congress
|, of SovietS was convened to replace
the constituent assembly. There was
little activity on any front during
the month, but on January % Italian
troops broke through the Teutonic
line east of Adiago, taking more than
1850 prisoners. On January so the
bolSheviki captured kiev, capital of
the Ukraine, which was then engaged
3n separate peace negotiations with
the central powers. On the same day
st was announced officially that
American troops were holding 'front.'
line trenches in France. occupying a
sector northwest of Toul.
= ::
AMERICAN The Americans holding
BAPTISM this sector received their
OF FIRE baptism of fire when they
repulsed vigorous Ger
man raid. The Americans lost two
Killed four wounded and one missing.
On February ) the steamer Tuscania.
carrying s.179 American soldiers. was
tor r9edocd and sunk, with a loss of
as lives On February 9 the Ukraine
sig -Ied a separate treaty of peace with
Che central powers.
President Wilson. in another address
20 Congress, on February IL, an
1ounced four additional peace prin-
in.I,,1inO caJf-dafnrrpinafin inn nf