South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-11-28

IN ren me German amnassador was
handed bic passports. on April Presi-
dent Wilson asked congress TO make a
formal declaration OF war. which was
passed ard signed on April Good Friday
ana II the Judgment OF the whole nation a
good day FOR a good deed
The hrst American naval contingent sailed
Immediately Americon troops began 20
land IN France Ia June &c and saw their
trst lighting on Oct q. but the remainder
OF the year on this side Of the Atlantic
vas largely consumed In raising and train
ing the army which d1ally grew 20 2,OOO.-
vJ5 men tn France and as many more pre-
pairing 20 follow them when the successive
turrenders OF Bulgaria. Turkey Austria
and Germany brought the conflict 10 an
end. That end was not 10 be reached
however. for nineteen months. and among
them four OF the most anxious OF the war.
The Russian Revolutions
The year 1917 had opened not unpros-
perously for the free nations. The French
and English had improved their positions
on the western front A new British army
that had been pushing up the Tigris took
Baglgd on March H. At the same time
the Huns IN Flanders retreated about
twenty miles 20 what became known as
'the Hindenburg line" Toward the end OF
May the Italians had crossed the Tsonzo
twelve miles OF Trieste The United States.
though not yet ready with a great army
vas freely making enormous and sorely
needed loans 20 France. England italy.
Belgium and Russia
But on March II a revolution. led by
members OF the duma and backed by the
Petrogr1d garrison. had dethroned the car.
declared monarchy abolished and set up a
Russian republic Il was hailed with 10y
all friends OF democracy huf he boDos
built upon II we're doomed 10 dlsappolnt-
ment The provisional government went
through one crisis after another. until
finally with the fall OF Kerensky on Nov.
the control OF Russia fell into the hands
OF the 'bolsheviki,' a group OF radical So
cialists and dOctrinaire pacihsts. who de-
moralized the army and made peace with
the Huns. ceding to them and the Turks
Poland. the Baltic provinces. the Ukraine
ahd Trans-Caucasia
Even the original Russian revolution Is
suspected 20 have been more or less made
IN Germany though the honesty OF Ke-
rensky and others OF its original leaders
Is not questioned. II has been proved,
however. that Lenine and Trotzky. the
chiefs Of the bOlsuevik we're from the be-
ginning IN German pay. II has been safe
Of The bolsheviki that those who are no,
,razy are crooked and those who are not
crooked are cray aud the epigran ap-
pears 10 be an accurate description
Even before the fall OF Kerensly~ the
Germans had been enabled by the growing
Generalization OF the Russian armies 10
AXE Riga and engineer a secession OF the
Ukraine from northern Russia with syebt-
lal results OF getting temporary possession
Of territories larger than the whole Ger
nan empire before the war.
The italian Disaster
Delivered by the collapse OF Russia from
the need or maintaining more than bOr-
der guard on the eastern front, with
plundering expeditions into the Baltic
provinces and the Ukraine. the Huns con-
centrated for a great drive upon Italy.
On Oct. % the Italian line was broken at
CapOrettO and within three weeks the
Italian army had lost all its hard won
gains OF nearly thirty months. and more.
It's retreat was marked by enormous
losses of men and material and endel only
at the Piave river. where a successful
stand was made with the aid OF French
and British trOCps There Is little doubt
that German propaganda" along the line
Of the bolshevist idea that the war coul,
~ ended By the soldiers simply reiusine