The weekly Alaska citizen., 1918-01-07
WHAT OF 1918?

 and in the United States particularly, IS how much progress will be made ill the war this year. Any comment on this subject Is, ot course, mere speculation, yet from events ot the year just closed certain facts are easily deduced.
 As the British premier, Lloyd George, stated before the house of commons several days ago, to pretend that the allies had ac- complished their aims in 1917 would be "idle talk" and an exaggeration of events. There is no doubt that the failure of certain allied plans to be carried out to their fullest extent can be traced almost directly to the Russian debace.
 The campaigns on all fronts for 1917 were undoubtedly based upon the loyalty of Russia to the common cause. On account ot her defection, Germany and her allies were able to utilize resources both i'll men and materials, in threatened places which undoubt- edly disarranged the allied calculations to a certain degree.
 The point where this was the most notice able was in the Italian zone. From cam paign in which the Italians were steadily pushing the Austrians back through moun- tainous territory, it has been transferred into Italian territory, and very little can probably 
 quarter during the present year. Italy has lost artillery which can hardly be replaced at an early date, and both England and France have been compelled to shift troops to this sector in order to check the combined strength of Austria and Germany.
 In Mesopotamia the defection of Russia was also felt. Upon the British troops in this region now falls the task of keeping the enemy occupied. Britain now has possibly half million men in this region, and their victories along the Tigris during the past year have given them the edge on the Turks, which will probably be held, if not made larger this year. In Palestine the British forces have been uniformly successful, and recent activi- ties since the capture of Jerusalem indicate that the allied troops in this region are sui fcienty strong to hold all gains made and advance as called for.
 The Macedonian front, with the proGer- man Constantine, of Greece, eliminated, pre- sents less of problem than at the beginning of 1917. With Constantine on the throne, there was always danger that allied lines of communication and supply would be at tackled by his forces With him disposed of, the allies have no fear of an attack from the rear The capture of Monastir by the Serb army marked practically the only achievement in this theatre in 1917. Following this vic tory, the allied army, numbering almost mil lion men, has been inactive. This state is probably accounted for by the serious prob lem incurred in the shipping of supplies so great distance for an army of this size. Should combined offensive be planned for all fronts, this army would be able to hold en- gagged large number of Teutonic troops that would be badly needed on other fronts.
 Any plan of action outlined for the year 1918 by the allied board of strategy will, of necessity, leave Russia out of its calculations as far as counting on it for aid or military ac- tion against Prussia. Even should the Brest Litovsk peace negotiations be dropped, as dis patches received yesterday indicate as possi- bility, chaotic Russian conditions will prevent rher from assuming share i'll any offensive action.
 It is on the western front that the Ger mans will feel the great force of the allied blows. On this front in 1917, many positions of importance were gained by smashing blows and the Germans were put permanently on the defensive While the full strength'of Am erica's resources can hardly be brought to bear here this year, goody portion of them will be in the allied spring offensive. General Haig will probably carry out his unfinished program in Flanders and this, in combination with the successful conclusion of the French drive against L.aon, in the Ailette river valley will probably result in the retirement of the Huns to the Mouse along the entire front. Notwithstanding the partial breakdown of the allied plans for 1917, the central pow CTS are in desperate plight Austria is blec white. Unaided by the Germans, she could