The Washington herald., 1918-07-28

tlOn OF Jerusalem on DecemDer le1L
A great feature Of the past year and
one Of peculiar interest to the United
States was the fact that American
line in France and now hold various
lin in France and now hold various
Sea and the Swiss frontier.
Americans have been placed upon
vital parts of the front, which Is q
splendid tribute to their nghting quail
ities. They are helping defend the
road to Paris on the Marne front and
some Of them have been brigaded with
Australians In the Somme Valley.
where the Germans are expected to
begin another effort to break through
to Amiens and Abbeville.
The first clash between German and
! American troops took place on the
third of last November on the Toul
front. Since then. Americans have
been placed upon the following SEQ
tors:
where Americans Are.
l. With the British in Flanders and
on the Somme.
2. With the French north and sOuth
of Montdidier CPicardy 'front.'.
Z With the French on the Marne
and in Champagne.
l. On the heights Of the Meuse tnear
verdun).
s. In French Lorraine.
g. In the Vosges Mountains upper
alsace).
On both the Picardy and Marne
fronts the boys from the L. s. A dis
tinguished themselves for their valor
in action and won the praise Of their
commanding generals They captur-
ed some villages and patches OF wood
land which the Germans had forti-
fed to a point they Cthe Germans)
thought made them fmpregnsble.
There have been no big naval en-
ga gements Of the past year, although
there are some achievements that
stand out conspicuously for the dar-
ing with which they were accom-
p,ished:
L The blocking OF the German sub
/ marine bases at Zeebrugge and Os-
tend by British seamen-
The feat of several Italian SAIL
ors In running the defenses Of the
great Austro-Hungarian naval base
at Pola, where a Dreadnought was
sunk by torpedoes fired from q small
motor boat
3. The splendid achievement Of the
| American navy in transporting up
, ward Of l,1oo,00o men to Europe with
out the loss OF an American transport
| on the eastern voyage.
U-Boat Campaign Continued.
The Germans have continued their
campaign Of U-boat frightfulness, in
PRODUCING fresh atrocities by what ap-
peared to be an organized series OF
attacks against Red Cross hospital
ships. Their boast that they would
win the war by starving England,
France and Italy through the destruc-
tion Of merchantmen has been deci-
sively punctured.
In the air the allies now hold alb
solute supremacy. The attacks on
London and Paris have become less
and less frequent. while on the battle
fields the allied airmen are masters
This will be accentuated when the
American air feet arrives at its full
quota and German cities will begin to
get real taste Of destruction from
the clouds-a form OF warfare" which
the Germans themselves invented.
1t is impossible to estimate how
many millions have fallen on the field
of battle since Austria Hungary de-
clared war against Serbia on July 3,
1914. A veritable tidal wave of woe
has swept the world. And as for the
vast sums Of money expended upon
the fighting machinery-the amounts
almost surpass comprehension. It was
estimated that during the past year
the war cost the allied nations from
1000 900 to s1oo. 10000 daily. while il
cost the central powers from $40, ,0oo, 900
to ss5. .ooo,o 900 every day.
Unrest In Austria.
The hardships Of war have fallen
most heavily in the central empires.
Conditions in Austria arising from
famine and general misery entailed by
the conflict are beyond description.
Unrest has developed to such an ex-
tent that q revolution would not be
surprising. From the standpoint OF
food shortage. Germany is not far
behind and the discomfort In Germany,
especially in the Industrial districts,
In finding expression in ever-occur-
ring strikes.
Since the beginning OF the world
tragedy revelations have proved time
and again that Germany was actually
responsible and that the Kaiser and
his tunkers had carefully planned to
seize the first favorable opportunity
to let loose the dogs Of war on an
unsuspecting world.
| When Archduke Francis Ferdinand
was assassinated by a Servian at Sar-
ajevo. on June 2s, 1914. the opportunity
seemed to have arrived. Through the
machinations Of Berlin an ultimatum
was sent from Vienna to Belgrade on
July q containing impossible condi-
tions. Five days later Austria de-
clared war. On July 81 Germany de-
clared "a state of war" on the ground
| AAoN rnnnhfiigin0 -
German and Austrian frontiers. On
! August Germany declared war
against Russia, but instead of strik-
ing In the east the Teutonic hordes
that had already been mobiliEed drove
westward, invading Luxemburg. On
the following day Germany sent an
uitimatum to Belgium demanding q
free passage Of troops. On August 3
Germany declared war on France, and
German troops crossed the Belgian
| frontier. Then began Won nuci's
drive on Paris. which continued with
terrific fighting and gallant resistance
by the British. French and Belgians
until the Teutons had reached posi-
tions south Of the Marne. On Sep
! tember the battle of the Marne-a
decisive engagement-began and last
ed four days The Germans were
| InrQWu Ddck 70 Iue nOFIn OF the
Aisne. when the long period Of trench
warfare on the Western front set In.
Russians Defeated.
i In the meantime, the Russians had
invaded East Prussia. but were de.
feated by Hindenburg at Tannenbers
on August 2s. 1914. when the Russian
army was annihiiated In the maze oi
the Masurian swamps and was thrown
back across the Russo-German iron.
! tier. In Galicia the Russians drove