The Hawaiian gazette., 1918-01-08
HI ADVERTISERS SEn-WEEKLY
The Week In The War


in bloody conflict, the taking of trenches, hills and
|idges actual gains in territory go to work for the
winning Of the war. Were the observer to Judge
merely from the surface appearances, from the
battles won or lost left in an indecisve state,
the past week might be considered as having been
uneventful And yet military experts and states
men consider this the most critical stage of the
great war against Hunism and Prussian autocracy.
How the weather conditions on ,the Western
front, in Belgium and in France, have operated is
not quite so clear 1t would appear from the daily
reports from those sectors that the Teutons great
ly reinforced both to man power and in gun
power are making preparations to deliver power
full blows upon the Allies. 4#&ill@ -. ....-
When it is said that this is the critical period
of the war many factors enter into the assertion.
Russia is still out of it so far as lighting factor
goes and is likely to continue neglible for weeks
or months at least even il that country ever again
demand consideration as beligerent Thus has
it been made possible for the Germans and the
Austrians to make preparations for the drive it is
expected they will attempt to launch as soon as
weather conditions and preparedness admit. I'm
fortunately this comes at time before the United
States is in position to undertake its share in the
actual military operations OF Europe. This coun-
try is still in the preparatory stage. ~ E.a. p.
No nation recognizes this more clearly than
does Germany Now is the opportunity for the
kaiserbund to deliver telling blows. Now is the
time they must sweep the allies off their feet and
back or face absolute certainty of defeat. Those
blows must be struck now before the United
States can be the powerful factor that Germany
knows it will be. Here is the crucial question.
Can the Allies hold or practically hold the Ger
mans or must they sustain losses of men and of
territory from which it will take months to re-
cover with the United States then bearing its full
brunt? Britons have been warned that they must
expect some reverses and must not be too conf
dent for the next few months ... 80,
The United States is going forward. Investga-
lions have shown that the work OF equippng and
drilling and training the soldiers. attention to
their comfort and their needs have been far from
lperfect but even so a higher degree of efficiency
has been shown than ever before in the. history
Iuf the country and the nation is looking for its
mistakes, striving to correct them and willing to
learn from the experiences of other beligerents
There have been points that held encourage
ment for the Allies in news from the peace con-
terence. Failure to agree upon terms would not
necessarily mean that Russia would be back at
the front fighting but the picture of Russia and
the Central Powers at peace, Russia furnishing
wheat and other food supplies to the enemy is not
q pleasant prospect for the foes of autocracy to
contemplate. Failure of the peace conference
means failure of needed food for the enemy, sue
cess means comparatively plenty to replace acute
shortage
Splitting up into separate entities, some OF them
| small and weak Russia is in position to put
into the field and keep there great army. How
the riven country could hold back Teuton adj
vance is not clear and the prospect is not pleas
INF bItit &c Lees han, tha
pect of Russia friendly terms with the Central
Powers.
Slowly but the less surely, is the under
sea campaign of Germany being broken 1t is
true that the last week of the old year showed
losses that would make, this assertion appear
groundleSS but taking results for the month and
1 tor the year there was occasion for feelings of
encouragement. Germany is losing submarines
faster than she can build them. Her U-boats are
now mere hyenas of the sea that prey upon tramp
steamers. 1t may be that, this drive is merely the
beginning OF the end
Britaln's war aims, outlined on Saturday by
\ the British premier indicate determination and
show nothing OF any encouragement. He shows
the Righteousness of the Allied cause and that
there can be no going back.
In this country events have followed thick and
fast one upon the other. Railroads are under gov
eminent control Passenger service is giving way
to the movement of freight. The taking over of
the transportation lines nothing short of revo-
luionary. Other similar courses may be adopted.
| Individual rights must now give way to the rights
Of the whole people represented by their gov
eminent There is conscription of the railroads
just as there is CONSUMPTION of the young men of
the country and it may be that there will be con-
scription of other industries as well, the coal
mines, the meat packeres other industries essen
tial to the winning Of the war and this may be fol-
lowed by CONSUMPTION of labor to keep them 90