The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-01-05
THE WORLD WAR.

Alter Tree ana haI1 years OF the
most sanguinary fighting in history,
the great nations of the world, tOgeth-
er with many of the smaller ones, are
still at death grips, with less prospect
of an carly peace than was thought 10
exist d year ago.
Undoubtedly the greatest develop
ment of the year was the entrance of
the United States of America into the
conflict. The throwing of the ire
mendOus resources and man power of
the American republic into the balance
on the side of the entente allies. in the
opinion of military experts. has more
than offset the advantages gained by
Germany and her allies during the past
twelve months and has made possible
the continuance Of the conflict until q
time when a definite military decision
can be obtained.
There have been a half dozen or
more outstanding events In the past
year. Some of these have been of
purely military significance and others
have been occurrences of a political ma
4ure which have had far-reaching eff
feet upon the titanic conflict.
Chief among the political upheavals
of the year was the Russian revolution
which resulted III the overthrow uf
Gar Nicholas and eliminated during
the closing months of the year in a
counter-revOlutiOn which practically
eliminated Russia from the ranks of
the nations opposed to the central pow
ers. From a military standpoint the
chief events of the year have been
the launching of the German ruthless
submarine campaign, which was d.
rectly responsible for the entry of the
United States into the war; the Brit
ish offensives on the west front, first
in the Arras sector. later in Flanders
and still later on the 35-mile front be-
tween Arras and st. Quentin; the Ital-
ian offensive against Austria from
TOlminO to the Adriatic and the sub
sequent offensive of the Germans and
Austrians against Italy, which resulted
In the overrunning of northern Italy
by the TeutOnic allies.
The entry of China, Cuba, Brazil,
Siam and other countries into the war
on the side of the entente allies, the
overthrow of King Constantine of
Greece on the demand of France and
her allies and other events important
I'm themselves were OvershadOwed by
the greater developments of the year.
American Peace Effort Fails.
AS the year opened the only military
movements of Importance in progress
were those aimed by Germany and her
allies to complete the humiliation of
ROumania and attention was conferred
upon the request that had been made
nv President Wilson fhaf he
belligerent nations state the terms up-
on which peace might be discussed
The replies seemed to preclude any
further action by the United States SIS
a peacemaker, but on January % Pres
ident Wilson in an address before the
senate laid down the principles which
he declared should guide the United
States in participating in a league to
enforce peace at the close of the pres
emf war.
On January 81, Germany announced
Ghe Inauguration of ruthless submarine
warfare.
President Wilson acted promptly,
severing diplomatic relations with
Germany on February 3.
The Cunard liner Laconia was sunk
without warning off the Irish coast
February % with the loss of 13 lives,
including those of two American wom-
en-.
On February 2S, it was announced
that the United States government was
in possession of a communication ad-
dressed by the German foreign minis
ter to the German minister at Mex
leo City, instructing him to pro-
oil
and Mexico, and to suggest that
as soon as war with the United States
was certain, the president of Mexico
communicate with Japan, offering to
mediate between Japan and Germany
AS q reward Mexico was promised gen.
eral financial support from Germany
and the reconQueSt of lost territory in
Texas, New Mexico and Arizona
The United States House of Repre-
seQtatives, March 1, passed the Flood
biz. giving the president the right to
arm American merchant ships, but
the measure died with the Sixty-fourth
congress on March 4 as a result of q
fiiibuster engineered by a dozen men,
bers of the senate.
President Wilson entered upon his
second term March and in his in
augural address on the following day
took a stand in favor of armed neu-
trality.
The United States department of
state announced, March u, that it
mad determined to place armed guards
upon all American merchant vessels
sailing through the German war zone
March IA. it was learned that the
American steamship Algonquin had
been sunk without warning by Ger
man submarine. On the same day
China severed diplomatic relations
with Germany and seized German mer-
chant ships in the harbor at Shanghai.
Gar Nicholas Dethroned.
On March 10, the Russian revolu-
fionary movement. which had begun
with food riots and strikes, eliminated
In the ahdicatiOn of Gar Nicholas both
for himself and his son. Pending the
meeting of constituent assembly the
government was vested in the execu-
tive committee of the Duma and a
newly chosen council of ministers with
Prince Lvoff as premier.
m