| Show r Americans Will Bear Brunt of Fighting on n ni I i All Fronts Says Bakeri Baker I i That Is Why Wb Peace Feelers Are Being Sent Out I Iby by Teutonic Powers Po By Inte International nal N News s Se Service ice hL L Dec Dee 24 24 WASHINGTON A American n ri an troops soon V will form the thc principal units In the fresh strategic reserves on the battlefields battlefields battle baUle- fields of Europe and will bear the brunt of ot the fighting Secretary Secretary Secretary Secre Secre- tary of ot War Baker Indicated to today today today to- to day in his weekly review of of- the tho war This fact Is fully appreciated by bythe bythe bythe the enemy tho the secretary as as- as sorted The recent peace feelers feelers feel ers and preparations for or an Intensive in intensive In- In drive on the western front are a result The Tho Italian armies the secretary secretary secre secre- tary asserted have successfully repulsed the enemy along their lines Unes The Tho secretary's review in full follows The Italian theatre of war once once again is the scene of im important lm- lm military ry activity r h enem impatient delays which have bave occurred r i in bringing s about out time the successful penetration of the tho Italian plain and the overthrow of or the Italian armies has dispatched further forces to the Italian front with willi witha a a. view to achieving a decisive re result result re- re sult BUll The Germans are arc endeavoring to follow ollow the precepts of classic strategy and by a successful enveloping en- en enveloping enveloping en en- movement effect the de destruction de- de of the Italian and allied forces It would appear that they are anxious to conclude their Italian adventure in a manner similar to the previous campaigns in Russia Rus Rus- slit sia Serbia and Rumania where as a result of the he strategic en envelopments envelopments en- en gained at relatively small cost vast tracts of territory territory terri tern tory were conquered MOUNTAIN RETAKEN Enemy pressure continues continues' intense In- In tense tenso along the entire front Early in the wee week the Austro- Austro Germans gained certain local successes successes successes suc suc- in the region of ot Col Caprie and succeeded in capturing the time Monte Mont an outpost of oC considerable considerable considerable con con- tactical importance Tho The Italians however did not leave the enemy long in possession possession possession posses posses- sion of at this point By a particularly particularly particularly successful series of ot daring counter attacks Monte was retaken This position again in the time hands of the Italians materially materially materially ma ma- increases the tho strength of their defensive lines Jines Before Defore I proceeding roc with an any operations in the west the tho Germans Hermans Ger- Ger Her mans hope to drive the time Italians back bacle to the Adige knowing that such a reverse would have a a. very disintegrating effect throughout Ital Italy it Is apparent that the tho Germans Ger Ger- Germans mans have o not given up all hope llope of ot bringing about a social up- up upheaval up In Italy as the they did In Russia Hussla after their victorious campaign campaigns cam cam- of ot 1015 1915 No o matter how Int intensive this thin subversive propaganda ma may be bo nevertheless wo wn can an hL L rely on the tho fighting morale of ot tho the Italian people Along the western front the enemy has continued his harassing harassIng harassIng harass- harass Ing raids with a view to keeping the allied forces on the alert However lIo none of ot the tho engage- engage mentse recorded in the tho west were of or more than local importance In Inthe the region of ot the Ule Ar Argonne forest and the heavy as assaults assaults assaults as- as were launched against the French These however were r readily repulsed I Infantry actions of more than usual Intensity were reported in upper Alsace and Lorraine PEACE AS FORERUNNER Artillery duels were wera particularly lively in Lorraine and Champagne Tho The British front was Vas the tho scene scena of a a. number of raids and hostile attacks in force at various arious points In tho the area of Cambrai south h of Arras and d north of ot pre th efAt f tit i t l' l fAAA u n ward several se units in en engagements engagements engage engage- em e- e m ments nta of ot ofa a a. local character No material results were wOre achieved It would appear that as asa 8 a a a. forerunner to the tho German ot of offensive heralded to be launched in the west an intensive peace propaganda is to bo ho initiated Careful examination of or the situation situation situation sit sit- reveals that the time enemy is again to sue for peace be before ore victory victor vic vic- tor tory t i Information from various sources confirms the tho reports that the Germans would havo have tho tho- world bellevo that tho the military situation is such that they are arc able ablo to dictate the terms o of ot f peace They therefore threatened threatened threatened threat threat- ened that unless this dictated Is accepted by tho the allied powers and ourselves tho UtO German German German Ger Ger- man forces now being concentrated concentrated concentrated concen concen- on the tho western front will break through the tho allied line In Inthe Inthe inthe the west The various reports of ot Immediate Immediato immediato Imme- Imme diato diate peace proposals proposals' by the UIO Germans on seemingly favorable terms should not for tor a moment induce us to slacken our preparations preparations preparations prepa prepa- rations for or war It ll is only necessary for or us to recall that during tho tiro Christmas season of ot last year the Germans put forth very similar peace ru rumors ru- ru mors In considering the general military situation in its true light It must be understood that the Germans realize reaUze that within a II short time our armies will form the tho principal body of ot fresh strategic reserves remaining available a for action on tho timo battlefields battlefields battlefields battle battle- fields of ot Europe Thus no matter matter matter mat mat- ter what superiority In men and guns tho enem enemy may for or the time bring to bear In the west cst and andI even oven admitting an eventual c modification modification mod mod- of the tho allied lino IIno in tn Ills his I favor nevertheless ho knows that in so far as it Is humanly possible to foresee his efforts effort will inevitably result In merel merely a I local loral success ss which can havo have no Continued An n page pagA 3 31 I AMERICANS WILL BEAR Continued from page age 1 determining influence on the tho final I outcome of the war For the first two years of tho the I war var France boro bore the brunt of the battle while whilo Great Britain was preparing Since the defeat of the German German German Ger Ger- man forces in front of at Verdun England and the British dominIons dominions domin domin- ions have havo taken over an increasingly increasingly large share of the burden of tho the war of her Italy has to the limit forces also assumed a considerable considerable considerable consider consider- able share of this burden MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY When as a result of the do- do defection defection de de- of the tho Russian forces the I I weight of German Austro-German pressure pressure pres pros sure was directed against Italy France and England united Ingoing in ingoing going to the aid of their ally and andare andare andare are today aiding the Ute Italian armies It Is our duty uty therefore in looking to the future to realize that we are to fulfill the pledge we made on entering the war If we are to fight this war to a successful conclusion we must assume the lie full responsibility which rests upon us We are the the struggle struggle- We b have havethe ve- ve the reserve m manpower and tho the reserve mechanical power Our jOur armies constitute tho the re reserves ro- ro serves serve of of victory In Russia the tue armistice negotiations having been concluded peace negotiations negotiations negotiations are arc about to be bo entered upon Reports of the dissatisfaction of a large element clement of the Russian Russian Rus Rus- sian population especially in southern and central Russia with the terms of the tho armistice have led to tho the formation of or an active opposition which it is believed will endeavor to resist all at attempts attempts attempts at- at tempts to enforce the proposals agreed to by the Lenine govern govern- mont ment |
