The Columbus commercial. (Columbus, Miss.) 1893-1922, 1918-01-17
MILITARY ELEMENT OF
GOVERNMENT HOLDS
WHIP HAND.
TO PUSH FIGHT
All Talk of Peace Treaty With
The Entente Allis Has Been
Silenced.

Washington, Jan. l6.--German Of
ficialdom has abandoned all discus
sion of peace by negotiations. Late
advices to diplomats quarters from
neutral nations bordering on Ger
many emphasized this Tuesday. They
agree that the military element is
in complete control.
A German military Dictatorship is
certain, although for a time It pro-
badly will be concealed under new
aggressive Chancellor and Foreign
Minister. But the next move will
swing the militarists into complete
power and they are expected to ride
rouchshod over all moderates.
This action followed complete pub
lication of President Wilson's war
aims throughout Germany.
Publication was accompanied with
strong editorial comment, bitterly
attacking the President, insisting his
peace aims were intended to hide the
weakness of the Allies.
The confidential advices received
here also emphasized the use that
the German press is making Of the re-
ports of shortage of foodstuffs and
other supplies in Great Britain,
France and Italy.
Once more the cry that the subma-
rines are winning is being raised
everywhere, and it is being used to
confound the moderates who have
advocated peace By negotiation.
With the accession of the war party
complete evidence is at hand that the
forthcoming German offensive will
be on the greatest scale ever con-
templated,
Reports of the War College here
and to the military attaches of the
various missions in this county, place
the probable date that it can be ex-
pected as between the middle of next
month and April !. That it will be
stupendous in srope also is certain.
As visiting British general describ-
ed it in discussing it, it will include !:
Action on land, on sea, in the air
and under the sea-"
The German U-boats are being
massed to take their part. The rest
of the navy will do the same. And in
the latter connection officials say that
the German navy will strike, with its
entire strength, for the first time in
the war.
German aeroplanes also are ex-
pected to attempt an offensive, and
it is known here that the new Ger
man standardized aeroplane, made
from stamped metal along new lines
is ready to take the air. These ma
chimes are being manufactured by the
hundreds, and were designed by the
German General Staff to combat
Americas efforts to dominate the air
during the coming summer.
Germany also has been concen-
rating every possible man on the
front from the North Sea to the
cwiss frontier for weeks, leaving no
defensive forces on the Russian
front.
Just where the big German blow
viii be felt on land is not known
The British expect 1t will come
qosinst their lines. The French take
the contrary view and look for It
against one Of their fronts. II II
comes on schedule it will not be
against Italy, as the snow will pre-
vent that. But wherever it comes
all of the reports from the other side
indicate supreme confidence that it
will fail.
General Pershing has discussed the
probable offensive in his reports TO
the War Department. What he said
is withheld, but the officers who
know declare that he IS certain that
Germany's efforts will fail, and that
when they do, the offensive will def
nitely pass for the period of the war
from the Germans to their enemies.
And this, officials who know declare,
il not brag or buster. 1t is the cold
blooded analysis of the men who
know the maximum power that Ger
many, with her Austrian reinforce
ments can muster, and who know
what is behind it all.