Connecticut western news., 1918-01-03
By DONALD E. BIGGS.

The relations between Germany and the United States were further strain ed March IS by the receipt of reports Of the sinking of three An merican steamers, the City of Memphis, IllI- nois and Vigilancia, fifteen of the lat ter's crew being lost.
 On March 21, President Wilson is- sued proclamation calling congress In special session on April 2.
 The American steamer Healdton was torpedoed without warning, March 22, 21 men including seven Aneri- cans, being lost.
 United States Declares War.
 On April 2. President Wilson ap- peared before joint session of con- GresS and called for a declaration of a state of war with Germany. On April 4, the senate passed a resolution de- claring the existence of q state of war. The resolution was adopted by the house of representatives April and was signed by the president the same day. At the same time 91 German owned vessels in American ports were seized by the government. Cuba de- clared war on Germany on April 2. 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 9. penetrating the enemy po- sitionS north and south of Arras to 8 depth of from two to three miles.
 The French forces launched an of- fensive against the enemy on 25-mile front between Soissons and Reims, April 16, and after three days fighting reported the capture of more than IT, 900 prisoners.
 The first American casualties in the wnr, were reported April 28. when the armed American tank steamer Vacuum was sunk by a submarine and several American gunners were lost.
 a.: American Fleet In 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 a law May IS when President Wilson affixed his signature to the measure and issued proclamation fix Ing June 5 as registration day.
 During the early part of June grow ing unrest In Russia began to attract the attention of the allies. On June 1, workmen and soldiers seized Kron- stadt the Russian fortress defending Petrograd, and repudiated the provis- ional government. On June 3, the American commission to Russia. head cd by Elihu Root, and the American railroad commission, headed by John F. Stevens, arrived safely at Russian ports. On June T, 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 10O0O,00O men of military age registered for mili- tary service under the selective draft law. On June 8, Major General John J. Pershlng, who had been selected to head. the American lexpeditionary 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 F when on the demand of France, Great Britain and Russia, King Constantine abdlcated 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 IS, in which 157 persons were killed and many. injured.
 The subscriptions to the first Amert- can Liberty loan closed June 15, the loan being oversubscribed by $780, 100000.
 On June 20, 1t was announced that the first contingent of American troops, under command of Major General Si- bert, had arrived safely in France. The new Greek cabinet, headed by EleutherioS Venizelos, went into office on June 27 and two days later the new government severed diplomatic rela- tions 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 powerful of fensive on an 18-mile front in Galicia, capturing many strongly fortified towns and taking thousands of pris- 1 oners. For two weeks the Russians continued to advance along a front that widened to 100 miles, but on July 19 the Russian offensive collapsed and