Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 February 1918 — ALLIES SPURN TEUTONIC BAIT [ARTICLE]

ALLIES SPURN TEUTONIC BAIT

SUPREME COUNCIL DECIDES TO BATTLE ON UNTIL AIMS ARE ACHIEVED. The war is to be prosecuted vigorously by the entente allies and the United States until a peace, based on the principles of freedom, justice and respect for international law, is obtained. This is the decision of the supreme war council of the countries in arms against the Teutonic allies. The high sounding phrases in ths recent speeches of the imperial German chancellor and the Austro-Hun-garian foreign minister were enti >ly thrown into the discard by the council it its session at Versailles and it was decided that the war would be vigorously prosecuted until that time comes when there is justification for the hope that a peace niay be realized in accord with the policies laid down by President Wilson and David Lloyd George, the British premier.

“Strafe” American Trencher The Germans, apparently in earnest, began a “strafing” of the American sector in Lorraine Saturday. Late in the afternoon they let down a barrage on the American line on a front of several kilometers, the heaviest in many days, but at last accounts General Pershing’s men were answering them shot for shot. The casualties among the Americans were slight when the report was sent and their marksmanship had been so effective that several German dugouts had been made untenable. Under the strong pressure measures of the military authorities in Germany the general strike continues to diminish in importance, and according to semi-official advices from Berlin the trouble is expected to cease in the early week. Already probably spurred by the threats of, the military authorities if drastic action is taken against them, many workmen throughout the empire and especially in the province of Brandeburg, in which Berlin is situated, again have returned to their duties and even the recalcitrant ones are expected, beginning Monday, to start to work without further loss of time. In Brandenburg the order of the military commander telling the dissatisfied workmen that they must resume their duties was terse aqd sharp and evideritly was intended convey to the strikers the intimation that the government at the present moment requires the full effort of the workers for the further prosecution of the war. “Employes failing to resume work,” said the order, “will be tried by court martial, which is authorized to impose sentence of death, execution to take place within 24 hours of the time the sentence is imposed.”