Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1918-11-20

they dug In" and then began a period
Of trench warfare that lasted for three
years, In the course OF which there
were no remarkable gains of territory
by either side.
Under the management of Lord
Kitchener Britain's millions were be-
Ing enlisted and trained and trans
ported to the battle grounds. Not
only from the homeland did they
come, but from Canada, Australia.
New Zealand, India, South Africa and
all Of the far-dung possessions of the
empire. with an ardor that settled for
all time the question Of their loyalty
to that empire. Ireland alone held
back to 4 considerable extent, hoping
to gain Independence and making It.
self the Matching ground for many .
German plot. Ktchensr's great work
practically accomplished, he went to
his death when German submarine
sank the cruiser on which he was
going to Russia.
0ermanys Submarine Warfare.
In the first months Of the war the
British fleets, aided by the Japanese,
took away Germany's island colonies,
and then, having almost full mastery
of the seas, established a blockade of
Germany designed to starve her into
submission. The reply to this was
quick in coming. The Germans start
ed out their submarines at once, and
began building more and bigger I'm.
dersea vessels. Dlsregarding the rec
ognized laws Of warfare, they declared
unrestricted war on all vessels of
their enemies, and murderous career
that finally resulted in dragging the
United States into the conflict and
bringing defeat to themselves. The
first notable victim Of this method of
warfare was the Lusitania, more than
thousand of whose passengers per-
ished. On this and many another yes
sci that was sent down by the sub
marines were American citizens, and
there was a powerful demand on our
government to stop the practice or to
enter tue wal.
For nearly two years President VIII
son held back, writing numerous notes
of protest to Berlin and receiving an
equal number Of false promises.
Early in 1917 Berlin announced that
submarine warfare thereafter would
be unrestricted-as it had been in
reality most Of the tlme-and there
was nothing left the United States but
to declare a state Of war with Ger
many. This was done on April 6 and
from that fateful day the doom Of
Germany's great conspiracy was set
tied.
Americas Wonderful Effort
With amazing energy and speed
America went at the tremendous task
Of making an army out Of its civilian
population. There were many mis-
takes and many delays, but these are
almost forgotten In the contemplation
of the marvellous success with which
the thing was accomplished. After a
long and heated debate. the selective
draft system of raising an army was
adopted, and young men by the hun
dred thousand were taken from their
civilian pursuits, put in immense
training camps and made into soldiers.
To command them, thousands of of.
acers were trained In other camps. In
the incredibly short time of one year
nearly two million fighting men, as
efficient as the world has ever seen.
had been transported across the At
~lantic, with all the vast supplies re-
Quired; and at home the industries of
the land had been reorganized for the
business Of war. Knowing we'll the
arduousness of the task of winning the
war, the government bent every ef-
fort to 1t and the draft age limits were
extended to include all men between
the ages Of eighteen and forty-six.
Many thousands Of those thus drafted
were in training when the war came
to q close.
Americas arrival In France was
most timely. Though the crown prince
had failed miserably in his attempt to
force 4 way to Paris by the Verdul
route In 1915, the Germans never gave
up their plans to take the French cap.
ital, and in the spring Of 1913. with
re-enforcements released from the
eastern front by the collapse Of Rus.
ola, they began 4 powerful drive In
northern France. In the first stage
Of this they reached the Somme, and
in the second they got to the Marna
again, only IS miles from Paris.
Yankees 70 the Rescue.
The Yankees. who were gettina
their final training behind the lines
had not yet seen very much action
but In this crisis their commander
General Pershing, offered their imme
date services to the British and
French. Brigaded with the allies
they went into battle with q rush that
inspired the tired Tommies and
Poilus, and the advance Of the Hunt
was checked. General Foch, Frances
master strategist, was made supreme
commander Of the allies in the west
and he at once began delivering thu
series of terrific strokes that ultimate
ly forced the Germans back to thei,
own borders. Fighting with the
French, the Americans had big par
in clearing out the Marine salient
fighting with the British, they gave
great help in the allied victories fur
Their north. Then the First American
field army was organized, placed on tn,
extreme west Of the line and ther,
wiped out the st. Mihiel salient ant
started on the operations that in len,
than two months cut the enemy's line
of communication from Metz an,
threatened the capture Of all hi
forces left In France.