Trench and camp. [volume] (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919, 1918-01-16

ton for Won Tirpitz, the evil fenius of
"frightfulness'' at sea.
The Russians, under the lead of the
Bolsheviki unexampled in their igno-
rance, faithiessness, incapacity and blind
ness, clay in the hands of the Machiaev-
iiian Germans, went from bad to worse,
and there was the spectacle of a peasant
people with no stomach to fight for DEM
ocratic security and no soul to keep faith
with honorable allies. It was perfidy and
cowardice, but the cause was ignorance
and incredible simplicity.
Even before the Bolsheviki eruption it
was for the Western allies dark hour
until the United States came to their
aid They made heroic attempt to win
a decision on the western front. The
magnificent offensives of Haig and Petain
all through the early months of 1917, the
summer, and the late autumn deserved
successfully particularly never relaxing
his efforts and striking repeatedly. Roul-
ers, key to the German submarine base,
was almost gained by him; and his lieu
tenant, Byng, in the famous tank as
sault and surprise, just fell short of Cam
brai, payn for the audacity with a loss
of half the ground won when the Ger
mans achieved an almost equally wonder
full counter-attack
1t can hardly be said that the capture
of Jerusalem by General Sir Edmund AL
lenby and the rout of the Turks in Pal
estine made up for the greatest Teutonic
stroke of the year, the masterful invasion
OF Italy, success comparable in some
respects to the German advance into
France in the first month of the war It
has changed the war map to the adyant-
age of the Teutonic powers, but has not
-blaZed the way to a German peace The
stroke has fallen short. 1t was audacious,
but 1t was desperate. The new year sees
the AuStro German offensive in difficult
les. One of the most splendid things Of
The war has been the rally Of the Italians
as the French and British made forces
marched to their relief. The Austrians
were held on the PiaVe: in the Venetian
Alps the enemy was so stubbornly resist
ed that his hope of breaking through to
the plains was frustrated With the last
day of the old year came the news of an
irresistible thrust by the French With
heavy SHOWS falling in the mountains,
the Austro Germans are now in difficult
les and for this winter their Campaign
has failed, and may prove utterly disas-
trous.
The outlook for 1918 is one of good
cheer. In spite of drafts from the Rus
sian front it is doubtful if the German
reserves viii be equal in strength to those
that reinyigorated France and resolute
Britain can put in the field in the spring
That they can at least mold back the mil
ttary power of the Teutonic allies until an
American army of 100000 men is ready
to do battle in the west may be assumed
with confidence There is still a chance,
although 1t seems of the slightest, that a
stfong government will rise In Russia
and organize armies FOR an offensive in
i918. AT any rate, Germany cannot af-
fOrd TO strip the Russian front entirely
Tne year 1918 seems destined, as Ger
many cannot have peace on her own
terms, TO be year of Sanguinary and
desperate combat. But there is always
possibility of an economic collapse in the
Central nations, and an enforced neace
may come while strategists are preparing
10 night the war to a finish.