Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-08
ARMIES SETTING
STAGE FOR BIG
SMASHING DRIVE
Signs Are Not Wanting
That Big Battles Are
in the Making.
INTENSIVE. ARTILLERY
DUElS DAY AND NIGHT
Various Points of Three Great
War Zones Scenes Of
Slaughter. =.
SEVERE IN YPRES REGION
Cambrai Sectors, Where British
Face Germans, in Midst OF
Deadly Attack.
rBy Associated Press.l

by Associated Press. ~sf-
Although infantry operations in tho
major war theatcrs arc OF Il minor
character, signs are not wanting that
big battles arc In the process of max
ing in Flanders, Franco and italy. .At
various points in these three war zones
intensive artillery duels are going on
day and night. They arc particularly
severe in the region OF Ypres and the
Cambrai sectors. where the British are
facing the Germans. along the Aisus,
on the Ecrdun sector and alon. the
Moscllo River. where the forces sc The
German Crown Prince and Grand Duke
Albrecht. of Wuerttcmberg, arc opposing
the French. and In the Italian higl-
lands. from the region OF Lake Gurda
eastward TO the Piavc River, where tho
Austro German troops are aligned
against the Italiana. French and Brit
ish -.-.s
Southwest of Ypres. In Flanders, the
Germans have made an attempt TO on
te- British positions. but met with re-
pulse and heavy losses under the fire
of the British infantry and machine
guns. Likewise, an attempted raid
against the French positions on tho
historic hill S04 in the Ncrdun sector
was stopped with sanguinary lossesgto
the Germans. These two niancuScrs
constitute the only activity by infan-
try forces at any point, except that
small British patrols at several places
forced : eros ossinss OF the Piavc. Rivor
against the Teutonic allies.
The situation arising In the disagree
mcnt between the Teuton!c allies "and
the Bolshevik leaders In Russia still
remains cloudcd owing to lack of def
mite informa- lion concerning the trend
the negotiations e-e taking or whether
they have entirely ceased. An unofficial
dispatch from ?ctrograd quotes Al.
Radek. one Of the Bolshevik delegates
who has been treating with the .Sus-
trians and Germans in Petrogradfiias
declaring that the Bolsheviki are sdof-
nitely strengthening the lighting front.
but that the Ruc5ians will accept-.no
help from the entente allies IL they
are forced TO fight again. as the Rus.
slams arc lighting for an ideal and not
Tor conquest. The Bolsheriki. like the
German working classes added NJ
Radek. stand for democratic peace,
and IL the German government attacks
its own people in it's true light =
ENTIRE COUNTRY STRIPPED.
GERMANY DON'T WANT 1T
The correspondent asked what would
be the attitude of the Bolsheviki In case
0? actual war, with regard tc tklp
from the allies. NJ. Radek replied:
I'VE do not desire their help. Our
strength lies in our weakness. and'if
we accepted help from the allies the
Significance of our position would be
destroyed. The weaker we are, the
stronger We arc. The Germans can
drive US back, but what good would
il do them:
The country behind the front has
been stripped bare. There 81 not
enough there 10 feed a single lorSe.
Tho Germans will not Wish millions
OF starving persons on their haads.
we stand for democratic peace.
So 60 the German working claSses.
IT the German government attacks US
it viii display itself TO it's own oco.
pie in it's true light" s,tsy,
4 telegram from Brest Litorsk to
Amsterdam gives a wireless message
sent to NJ. Jofte. chairman OF the RUS
sian delegation. by Foreign Minister
ron kuehlrann for the German dele:
CATION. Foreign Sinister C.errin FOR
the Austrians. Foreign Minister sNes-
siiny Eey for the Turks and Minister
OF Justice fopoft for the Bulgariai.S.
1t recalls that when the central powers
outlined tho terms on which they wore
willing 10 mako peace they stipulated
that these terms would he valid only
II all the bclliser .nts bound themselves
wi,hin certain period TO observe
them. Tho Russians fixed ten days AS
the period in which the othc. belligcT-
cEta We're 10 decide wht ;her to Join
in tho negotiations. but, although .hiS
time elapsed January ]. nothing. mas
been heard from them