Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1918-01-04
BY DONALD r. BiGcs.

The relations between Germany anG
the United States were further strain
ed March 18 by the receipt Of reports
of the sinking Of three American
steamers, the City Of Memphis, Iii
nois and Vigilancia, fifteen of the lat
ters crew being lost.
| On March q. President Wilson lis
sued proclamation calling congress
in special session on April 2.
| The American steamer Healdtor
was torpedOed without warning. March
%, 81 men including seven Ameri
cans. being lost.
/ United States Declares War.
On April 2. President Wilson ap
peared before joint session Of con
! gress and called for declaration Of q
state of war with Germany. On April
! 4, the senate passed resolution de.
claring the existence of state Of war
The resolution was adopted by the
house of representatives April 8 and
was signed by the president the same
day. At the same time 81 German
owned vessels in American ports were
seized by the government. Cuba de
clared war ON Germany on April Z
The following day, Austria Hungary
severed diplomatic relations with the
United States.
The British forces on the west front
began the first great offensive OF 1917
on April 8, penetrating the enemy po-
sitions north and south of Arras to a
depth Of from two to three miles.
The French forces launched an Of
fensive against the enemy on 25-mile
front between Scissors and Reims
April 16. and after three days. fighting
reported the capture of more than IT.
/ 600 prisoners.
The first American casualties in the
war We're reported April q, when the
armed American tank steamer Vacuum
was sunk by a submarine and several
| American gunners were lost.
American Fleet I'm Action.
| It was learned on May 16, that a
squadron OF American destroyers un-
der Rear Admiral Simms had safely
crossed the Atlantic and had been pa
trolling the seas in war service since
May 4.
The United States army draft bill
became law May is when President
Wilson affixed his signature to the
measure and issued proclamation fix
ing June as registration day.
During the early part OF June grow
| ing unrest in Russia began to attract
the attention OF the allies. On June /,
workmen and soldiers seized Kron-
stadt, the Russian fortress defending
Petrograd, and repudiated the proyis-
ional government. On June 8, the
American commission to Russia, head
ed by Elihu Root, and the American
railroad commission, headed by John
F. Stevens. arrived safely at Russian
ports. On June 7, the Russians in
possession OF Kronstadt yielded to
negotiations and recognized the pro-
visional government. .
In the meantime the American prep
arationS for the war were proceeding
rapidly. On June 5, nearly 100000
men Of military age registered for mill
I y
law. On June s, Major General John
J.. Pershing. who>had been selected to
head the American expeditionary
forces in France, arrived with his staff
| in London. On the same day Wash
| ington reported the safe arrival in
France of 100 American aviators, the
first American fighting forces to reach
that country.
| King Constantine Dethroned.
A solution OF the Greek situation,
which had endangered the operations
of the allies in the Balkans, was reach
ed June L. when on the demand Of
France. Great Britain and Russia, King
Constantine ahdicated in favor Of his
second son. Prince Alexander, who was
known to be favorably inclined toward
the allies. London reported another
big raid by zeppelins on June 13, in
which 157 persons were killed and
many injured
The subscriptions to the first Ameri-
can Liberty l0an closed June 10, the
loan being 0versubscribed by $780,
100000.
On June 26. 1t was announced that
the first contingent of American troops,
under command of Major General ST.
bert, had arrived safely in France.
The new Greek cabinet, headed by
EIeutherios VenizelOs, went into Office
on June q and two days later the new
government severed diplomatic rela-
tons with Germany, Austria Hungary,
Bulgaria and Turkey.
On the first of July, the Russian
forces, under the personal leadership
of War Minister Kerensky, electrified
the allies by launching a powerful Of
fensive on an 1S-ynile front in Galicia,
capturing many strongly fortified
towns and taking thousands of pris~
oners. For two weeks the Russians
continued to advance along a front
that widened 10 TOO miles, but on July
10 the Russian offensive collapsed and
turned into rant. when many Rus
sian regiments nutinied and fed.
Kerensky succeeded Prince Lvoff as
premier of Rlsst;s Oh July 90.
The first political crisis ii the Ger
man cabtnet during the war resulted