so writes
By DONALD F. BIGGS.
More history has been made in the
year 1918 than in any year that has
passed since time began. This mo-
mentous twelve months’ period comes
te a close with the world at peace af-
ter more than four years of the most
sangulnary fighting of this or any
other age.
During the year great nations have
crumbled, new nations have Sprung
fato being, thrones have tottered and
fallen, monarchs who once ruled hun<
dreds of millions of people with an
iron hand have fled for their lives or
have fallen victim to the wrath of peo-
ples Intoxicated by thelr new-won
freedom.
The coming of peace finds America
and her allies strong and fully able
to meet the responsibilities that come
with victory. On the other hand It
finds the nations responsible for the
. world cataclysm exhausted and torn
by civil disorders that are born of de-
feat. It finds the once great empire of
Austria-Hungary in ruins from which
there are already rising new free na-
tions. It finds the German empire dis-
rupted and threatened with dissolu-
tion.
The end of the war finds Russia in
the throes of civil war. The world gets
only fragments of news regarding the
real situation in the land of the former
czar, but these fragments have told a
terrible story of anarchy and class
strife In which thousands of persons
have perished, slain in bloody riots or
ruthlessly executed by the bolshevik
leaders who control a large part of the
once great empire. Peace finds the
menace of autocratic militarism sup-
planted by the menace of bolshevism,
world.
But, amid all the uncertainties that
peace has brought, the world rejoices
that the last citadel of autocracy has
been swept away before the rising tide
of democracy, giving assurance that
the millions who died upon the field of
battle did not die in vain. Brighter
days for all mankind have dawned
with the passing of the year 1918,
The year opened with the opinion
generally prevailing that
war could not be brought to a conclu-
sion in less than eighteen months. It
was an open secret that the German
high command was planning to make
a supreme effort on the western front,
and during the early days of 1918 it
was known that many divisions of
German troops, released from the Rus-
sian front, were being transferred to
the west front in preparation for the
grand offensive,
Interest during these days centereds
in events that were transpiring ic
Russia and in long-range peace discus-
gions in which President Wilson and
Chancellor von Hertling figured. On
January 8 President Wilson, in an ad-
dress to congress, promulgdted the
famous “14 points” which he declared
should form the basis of world peace.
In Russia Premier Lenine and For-
eign Minister Trotzky Intrenched
themselves in power by dissolving the
constituent assembly which met at Pe
trograd January 18. On January 21
an all-Russian congress of soviets was
convened to replace the constituent as.
sembly. There was little activity on
any front during the month, but on
January 30 it was announced officially
that American troops were holding
front-line trenches In France, occupy-
ing a sector northwest of Toul.
The Americans holding this sector
received their baptism of fire when
they repulsed a vigorous German raid.
The Americans lost two killed, four
wounded and one missing. On Febru
ary O the stesmer Tusesnia, carrying
2,179 American soldiers, was torpe-
doed and sunk, with a loss of 150
Hyves, On February 9 the Ukraine
signed a separate treaty of peace with
the central powers.
Conditions in Russia continued to
be chaotic. The bholsheviki declared
the war with Germany over but re
fused to sign the peace treaty demand:
ed by Germany. The Germans there-
upon renewed hostilities against Rus
sla, capturing Reval, Russian naval
base, and advancing on Petrograd. Le
nine and Trotzky then announced that
Russia was forced to accept the Ger
man peace terms. On March 3 the
Russian delegates at Brest-Litovsk
signed the peace treaty with Germany.
Germans Begin Great Drive. ‘
On March 21 the long-heralded of-
had advanced 47 miles from La Fere
and were within six miles of Amiens.
Here the advance was halted. In the
meantime, on March 29, the allies, fac-
ing a catastrophe, at last agreed upon
a unification of command, and General
Foch, the brilliant French leader, was
placed in supreme command of all the
allied armies,
A few days after the launching of
this drive, Paris was bombarded by a
“mystery” gun which it was known
was at least 62 miles away. On March
20, Good Friday, this long-range gun
made a direct hit on a Paris church
and 75 worshipers were killed.
On April 10, the Germans shifted
their attack and began the secand
phase of their offensive—a drive
against the British in Flanders with
the channel ports as the objective.
Here again the British were forced to
give ground, but there was no break
such as occurred edriler on the Somme
front. The British and Portuguese
were swept back along the River Lys.
The Germans took the Messines ridge
and threw 125000 men against the
British below Ypres, Bat the Ypres
defenses held firm, and in the west the
Germans failed in their efforts to reach
Hazebrouck. The terrific drive spent
itself and the Germans had failed to
threaten the channel ports seriously.
On April 22 the British navy execut-
ed one of the spectacular feats of the
war, blocking the channel of Zee
brugge, a German submarine base.
Germans Renew Offensive.
On May 27 the Germans renewed
the offensive with a powerful attack
between the Alsne and the Marne. In
a day they swept over the Chemin-des-
on the heights north of the
Next they took Solssons and reached
the Vesle. On they went to the Marne,
extending thelr front on the river from
Chateau-Thierry to Verneuil, and
threatening Reims in their advance.
The drive was halted with the Ger
mans occupying a front 16 miles wide
on the Marne. -
In the meantime the Americans had
won attention on May 28 by
Cantigny on the Picardy front
brilliant attack.
On May 25, German U-boats began
operations off the coast of the United
States, sinking 11 ships,
The German drive for Paris was re
sumed but the turning point
reached when on June 6 and 7 Ameri-
ean marines were thrown across the
path of the advancing army at Chateau-
Thierry. The Americans not only
stopped the Germans but drove them
back two miles, capturing several hun-
dred prisoners.
in an effort to unite the Somme sall-
ent with that of the Marne to provide
a base for another move toward Paris,
the Germans launched another heavy
attack west of Noyon on June 10. They
made considerable gains on a 20-mile
front but the drive was halted within
two days,
Austrian Offensive Is Fiasco.
Attention was transferred from
France to Italy when on June 15 the
Austrians opened an offensive on the
Italian front from Asinsgo plateau to
the sea. The attack proved a complete
fiasco. It was repulsed at all points
and the Italians pursued the fleeing
Austrians gceross the Plave, taking 45,
000 prisoners.
The German commanders made one
last effort to break through to Paris
when the crown prince's army group
on July 15, the morning after the
French national holiday, launched an
offensive along a front from Chatean-
Thierry to Massiges, 30 miles east of
Reims,
This fifth and Inst phase of the great
offensive failed most signally, being
stopped on the third day, The Ameri
ean forces played a big part in this see.
ond decisive battle of the Marne, East
of Chateau-Thierry the Germans forced
a passage across the Marne and the
Americans who opposed them “were
forced to fall back temporarily. Then,
in a brillidint counterattack, the Amer
feans drove the Germans back across
the Marne, taking 1.500 prisoners, in-
cluding a complete brigade staff,
* Allied Offensive Opens.
On July 18 General Foch assumed
the offensive. He struck the crown
prince's sight Sank a vital blow and on
the first day the French and Americans
fought their way for six miles slong
the Aisne, reaching the outskirf® of
Solssons, For two weeks the great
counter-offensive continued. On July
20 the Americans met the crack divi
slong of German guards and defeated
them in # stubborn battle at Sergy.
Soissons fell to the French on August
2 and by the following day the entire
Sotssons-Reims salient had been wiped
out. 4
The indignation of the British peo-
ple, arsused by the U-boat outrages
perpetrated by the Germans, was in.
tensified early in July when, news was
received of the sinking by a subma-
rine of the hospital ship Liandovery
in a
nurses between Canada nnd England,
tng 12 nurses, The United States cons
tinned to speed up its war activities
weg
was announced that Americans over-
seas or on the way numbered 1,019,115,
The United States on July 7 agreed
to allied action in Russia and prepara-
tions were begun for an allied military
expedition into Siberia. On the same
day Count von Mirbach, German am-
bassador to Russia, was slain at Mos-
cow. On July 8 it was announced that
the Murman coast of Russia had
thrown off bolshevik rule and invited
ald from the allies. During July the
first reports came from Russia of the
execution of the former czar by a local
soviet and these reports later were
confirmed.
General Foch opened the second
phase of his counter-offensive on Au-
gust 8 when a surprise attack was
launched on a 20-mile front in Picardy,
the allies gaining seven miles at some
points and taking 7,000 prisoners. The
following day Halg’s men gained 13
miles in Picardy and the next day the
French, attacking on a 20-mile front,
wiped out the Montdidier salient.
Foch Hammers Foe.
Then followed a series of sledge
hammer blows on all portions of the
front, all fitting into the general
scheme of attack worked out by the
master mind of Foch. On August 20
Lassigny fell and the former Somme
front was restored. British and French
armies, aided by American units, con-
tinued the smash on the Somme front
and on August 830 the Germans were
hurled across the Somme, The British
took Bapaume and were close to
Peronne., Roye fell to the French and
dozens of small towns were wrested
from the invaders. Further north the
British smashed the Hindenburg line
and forced the Germans to begin a re-
treat from the Lys salient.
On September 12, the First Ameri
can army, under the direct command
of General Pershing, began a brilliant
action which wiped out the difficult
St. Mihiel salient in three days, The
Americans took 20000 prisoners in
this action,
Serbian, French and Italian forces,
on September 18, launched a big drive
ngainst the Bulgars in Macedonia.
most simultaneously the British broke
the Turk lines In the Holy Land. The
Turkish army was shattered, and by
September 27 had lost 45,000 men in
prisoners,
smashed the Hindenburg line along
22.mile front in the St. Quentin sector,
ing the crumbling armies of the enemy.
of the central empires came on Sep
tember General
commander the Bulgar
im
iy
when
of
ing Serbs and French, asked for an
armistice. On September 30 Bulgaria
the armistice terms
the allies
unconditionally.
Teutons Move for Peace.
Turkey moved for peace on October
4 and the German people were thrown
accepted pro-
erumbling. Prince Max, who had now
an armistice and to open peace nego
tiations. President Wilson answered
by asking whether he spoke for the
on an acceptance of the presidents 14
peace points,
the west front continued, and the Ger
mans were driven from much ground
The
Hindenburg line was amashed at many
anints. Pershing’s men broke the foe's
rain line of defense west of the Meuse
and after days of bitter fighting clear
ed the Germans out of Argonne forest.
The Germans were forced to abandon
the Chemin des Dames and to retreat
on & long line from Laon as far east
as Argonne,
Germany sent another note to Pres
ident Wilson on October 12, accepting
the, latter's 14 peace principles and
urging the president to transmit its
Prince Max assured the president that
by reason of constitutional changes
the existing German government spoke
for the people. President Wilson re-
plied two days later, rejecting the Ger.
man proposals, declaring that any arm-
istice must be granted by the milltacy
commanders and must guarantee the
continued supremacy of the allied
arms.
The answer of the allied armies to
the German peace proposals was to
deliver still harder blows at the retin
ing enemy. In the vorth the Belgian
army, led by King Albert, cooperat-
ing with the British, began to sweep
the Germans from the Belgian const.
On October 17 the Germans were driv.
en from Ostend and Bruges and the
British occupied Lille. The whole
west front was in motion. The allies
swept eastward through Belgium and
through the industrial regions of
France.
Chancellor Max, on October 21, sent
another peace note to President Wil
son, denying the charges that the Ger-
mang had been guilty of atrocities on
land and sen, and again giving assur
ances that the new government repre
sented the people of Germany. Preal
dent Wilson replied two days later,
shattered and the end In sight. Tor
key surrendered unconditionally to the
British and the Austrians begged for
an armistice, while their armies were
in full flight. The allied war council
at Versallles began to prepare the
terms to be submitted to the Germans.
The American First army smashed
the German lines at Grand Pre and
advanced seven miles west of the
Meuse as the enemy line cracked.
Austria-Hungary, on November 8,
accepted the armistice terms which
provided for unconditional surrender,
hostilities ceasing at three o'clock
November 4,
On November 5, President Wilson
notified Germany to apply to Marshal
Foch for terms, he having been In-
formed that they had been prepared
by the allied war council,
German envoys were appointed and
approached the allied lines but ip the
meantime the allied armief did pot
lessen the pressure they were exert
ing on the enemy. The Americans,
having inflicted a severe defeat on
the enemy, clearing the whole front be-
tween the Meuse and the Alsne, rapid-
ly advanced toward Sedan, cutting the
vital communications between Metz
and the long German line extending
to the north, The Germans, as a result
of the American advance, faced the
necessity of undertaking a general re-
treat to save thelr armies from being
cut off.
On November 9 the kaiser abdicat
ed and the crown prince renounced
his claims to the throne. The govern-
ment of Germany passed into the con.
trol of the social democrats and
Herr Ebert was made chancellor. The
kaiser fled to Holand and was per-
mitted to remain there by the Dutch
authorities. At the same time vari
ous other German princes abdicated
and soldiers and workmen's councils
sprang into existence at many points.
Germans Sign Armistice,
November 11 the German
signed the armistice
On on.
VOys
of the
evacu
retire
Under the terms
armistice Germany agreed to
ate all invaded territory and
behind the Rhine, the allies to follow
all important crossings of
The Germans agreed
the greater part
thousands of hea
Rhine,
surrender
and
to renew hostilities,
The armistice
11 a. m. Paris
the great
came to an end,
effective at
iL
war virtually
technically
became
time,
world
Navewmber
although
with the signing
the peace treaty,
With the
revolution
Austria,
Austria abdicated and
ernment was set up.
Field Marshal
in supreme
armies
cessation «
through Germany
Emperor
a people's gov
spread
and
Hindenburg
command of
yon re-
and began
the arms
fice,
Carrying out the terms of the armis-
tice the Germans surrendered 71 war-
ships the
Conditions
to allies on November
were very unsettled
weeks of
parently sharing power with the sol
diers and workmen's councils,
were funder discussion for the sum-
determine the future character of the
government but activities of the rad-
jeal socialistic element under the lead-
to disrupt
On November 28 President
announced that he would
American delegation to
conference and that the
Rites would be Secretary
Lansing. Col. E. M. House, Hefiry
White, former ambassador to France,
and Gen. Tasker H. Bliss,
head
the
The president,
sniled for France December 4,
President Wiison srrived at Brest
December 18 and proceeded to Paris,
where he wag given an efithusiastic re-
ception. He at once entered into con
ference with the allied leaders, in prep
aration for the opening of the peace
conference in January.
British, French, American and Bel-
gian armies of occupation advanced
into Germany as the Germans retired
in aceordance with the armistice, the
allied armies reaching the Rhine dur.
ing the early days of December.
DOMESTIC AFFAIRS
Practically every phase of American
life felt the dominating influence of
war throughout the year 1918,
In the eld of national legislation
woman's suffrage and nation-wide pro.
hibition were urged as war measures,
The woman's suffrage amendment
was defeated in the senate October 1,
after having passed the house. A
nation-wide prohibition measure, to
become effective June 30, 1010, was
enacied by congress and approved by
the president November 22. On Sep
tember 6 President Wilson had ore
dered the manufacture of malt liquor
stopped on December 1, as a food.
conservation messare.
The government, early in the year,
began to tighten its control over indus.
try and business for the purpose of
furthering war efforts and protecting
Congress increased the safeguards
thrown about war industries by pass
ing the “sabotage” bill, carrying pen-
alties of $10,000 fine and 80 years’ im-
prigsonment for destruction of war ma-
terials or interference with war indus-
tries. President Wilson signed this
measure on April 20. The governmelt
also prosecuted vigorously many per-
sons accused of violation of the espion-
age act. On August 17, 100 members
of the I. W. W. were convicted of dis
loyalty in the federal court at Chicago,
after a trial lasting several months
Government control of the railroads
was followed during this year by gov-
ernment control of all telegraph and
telephone lines. Congress on July 13
authorized the president to take con-
trol of the wires and the government
assimed control on July 81. On No-
vember 17, the government also took
control of all Atlantic cable lines,
The first general election since the
United States entered the war Was
held on November 5, The Republicans
won both houses of congress, the sen
ate by a majority of two and the
house by a margin of more than forty.
During September, October and No-
vember the entire country was swept
by a serious epidemic of Spanish in-
fluepza. Thousands of soldiers in the
army camps and other thousands of
civilians succumbed thereto and to
pneumonia,
The country was surprised on No-
vember 22 by the resignation of Wil
lam G. McAdoo as secretary of the
treasury and director general of the
railroads, Representative Carter Glass
of Virginia was named to succeed Mr.
McAdoo as secretary of the treasury
December B.
On November 28 Governor Stephens
J. Mooney, convicted in
with the death of ten persons from a
bomb explosion in San Francisco dur
rn
1616.
Plan for making the United States
second to that of no other coun
by Rear Adm
the executive committee of the general
the navy December 12.
FOREIGN
The map of Europe was being re
made as the r 1918 came 10 a
The
ready In
the war
yen
Ceecho-Slovek republic
existence before the close of
having
g 3
independent belligerent ge
wen recognized as an
wernment by
Bod 5s 4
Britain,
the coming
nited States, Great
and but
mal establishie
Italy
nt of
The
peace Baw the for
this new government at Prague
up of Host,
divided up
Ausiria
years ago
21
and sUSKIn Finland
¢ shackles placed upon
Russias and out of the turmoil of civil
independent
subject states asserted their independ
ence,
Civil war conlinted
new republic of China throughout the
Hsu Shik 1
of the republic
ber 6 and during the next few months
reports indicated a possibility of an
Year, Chang was
euident on
Septem
brink of
of
war during the elosing weeks
the year. The trouble between
the nitrate war of years ago in which
Chile won Taona and Arica.
Dr. Bidonia Paes, president of Por
tugal, was shot and killed at Lisbon,
The assassin Was killed
Two days later Admiral Canto XY.
tro was elected president of Portugal
On 16 the diet
December Finnish
Finland.
LABOR AND INDUSTRY
Labor unrest, resulting in many
strikes, threatened to seriously ham
per the government's war preparations
early in the year but through a spirit
of co-operation shown by both labor
and capital the danger was averted and
there was little labor trouble during
the greater part of the year.
During the early days of the yem
disaffection appeared among the work.
ers in the shipyards and by February
12 the situation had assumed a serious
aspect with strikes In effect In five
yards. By February 16 the strike had
spread still farther In spite of an ad:
vance in wages announced by the In-
bor adjustment board, .
On February 17, President Wilson,
in a letter to William IL. Hutcheson,
Bead of the United Brothsrnooad of Car
penters and Joiners, concerning the
ship carpenter®’ strike, denied the right
of Inbor to strike at that critical june
fure. “Will you cooperate or will you
workmen responded to the president's
appeal and the strike was declared off.
At the same time Secretary of Labor
Wilson announced the personne! of »
nations! board of labor, to be com.
and capital, On February 24 this board
establishing n basis for the settlement
of disputes during the war. Former
President William H. Teft, chosen by
employers, and Frank P. Walsh,
selected by the labor organizations, al.
29,
providing that all labor
tively few strikes occurred during the
remainder of the yeir,
DISASTERS
Fires, railroad accidents and explo-
slons took a heavy toll of human life
on land during the year 1918 while the
elements combined with the torpedoes
of the German U-bosts to send thou
sands of Innocent persons, including
women snd children, to their death at
sen.
Fifty-two children met death in =
fire which destroyed a convent at Mon-
treal, Canada, February 14. February
24 the liner Florizel, bound from St
Johns, N. FPF. to New York was
wrecked by a blizzard near Cape Hace
and 92 lives were lost,
Seventy inmates of an insane asylum
at Norman, Okla, were killed in a fire
which destroyed that institution April
13.
On May 1 the Savannah liner City of
Athens was sunk in a collision with a
French cruiser off the Delaware coast
snd 66 lives were lost. On May 18
nearly a hundred persons were killed
by explosions in the Aetna Chemical
plant near Pittsburgh, Pa.
Sixty-three persons, including well
known cireus performers, perished
when a circus train was wrecked at
Gary, Ind., June 22. Fifty persons were
killed by the collapse of a bullding at
Sioux City, In., June 20.
A small factory explosion in England
killed 50 persons July 1 and on the fol-
lowing day an explosion in a munitions
plant near Syracuse, N. Y., killed 186.
Eighty-five merrymakers perished
when an excursion boat sank in the
Illinois river July 5. A hundred per
two trains
July 9.
A tornado swept a part of Minnesota
August 21, killing 50 persons at Tyler
and Connors.
near Nashville, Tenn.
On October 6 the United States trans
the Irish coast and 450 persons lost
Four hundred lost
British mail bost Leinster
wns torpedoed and sunk October 10.
their lives
were
when
the
A series of terrific explosions in a8
Morgan, N. J,
on October 8 killed 8 persons and de-
A
the
in
forest
shell-londing plant at
stroyved a vast amount of property.
severe earthquake which cauved
denth of 150 persons was ref
Ries October 11
fires raged in northeastern Minnesota
rted
Porto Grent
ig October, Many towns were de
ywwed and about 1.000 lives were lost,
On October 25 the steamship Princess
Alaskan
wrecked on the
mst and 343 were lost
Ninety«lght persons
vember 1 ff wreck
Rapid Transit lines
i
1.500
led No-
Brooklyn
On November 21,
reported
of German mu-
i
n to
were ki
on the
a hongt Persons
killed 1} ¥ the « xplosion
Were
trains en route from Bel
the most
history
ases in
of the
Cyclops,
while bound
from the West Indies to an American
Atlantic Announcement was
April 14 that the boat, with 268
persons on board, was a month over
Not a single trace of the boat
prESsengers and crew wes ever
gnd the fate of the vessel Is 8
mystery
unusys
was that
ed States
navy oolller
disappeared at sea
port
complete
NECROLOGY
Death took a heavy toll among men
women prominent in public life
the year 1018 The list in
13,
Jaunary United States Senator
A. P. Gardner, former congress
from: Massachusettes, wha re
February 2. John L. Snllivan, formes
Tamid,
former =ultan February
of Turkey:
ambassador to America.
March 6. John Redmond, Irizch Na
lender, aut London: March 8
member and diplomat, at Boston,
April 12, United Siates Senator
RB. 7. Broussard of Louisiana: April 14
United States Senator William Joo
Stone of Missouri,
May 14, James Gordon Bennett, pro
prictor of the New York Herald, at
Paris.
June 8. Ramon M. Valdez, president
of Panama; June 4 Charles Warren
Fairbanks, former vice president, at
Indianapolis,
July 8, Mohammed V, sultan of Tar
key; Viscount Rhondda, British food
contraller, and United States Sessior
Benjamin R. Tillman of South Care
lina : July 27. Gustav Kobbe, Amerionn
auther and critic.
August 8 Max Rosenthal, famous
artist, at Philadelphia: Angust 12
Anns Held, famous actress, at New
York: Angust 17, United States Sens.
tor Jacob H. Gallinger of New Hamp
shire: August 28, United States Sens
tor Ollie M. James of Kentucky.
Keptember 17, Cardinal John M. Far
ley, archbishop of New York: Septem
ber 25. John Ireland. Catholic areh-
bishop of St. Paul