AERIAL ATTACKS ON LONDON

Cities from Bagdad to London were subject to aerial raids by the Germans during the summer, notable attacks being those by Zeppelins and aeroplanes on London and the eastern coast cities of England.  In five attacks on England in May, June and July, 298 persons were killed and 863 injured.  Insistent demands were then made by the English people for reprisals in kind.

AN ESTIMATE OP CASUALTIES

An estimate of the total war losses, made near the close of the third year of the war and voiced by Arthur Henderson of the British War Council, placed the number of men killed at 7,000,000 since August, 1914.  French general headquarters on August 1 estimated that 1,500, Germans had been killed up to March 1.  Mr. Henderson estimated the total casualties of the war at more than 45,000,000.

WHEN THE THIRD YEAR CLOSED

The third year of the world war closed in July, 1917, with the fortunes of conflict favoring the Entente, except for uncertainty as to the outcome of the Russian situation.  On the western front in Europe the Teutons found themselves on the defensive at the advent of the fourth year.  They were fighting on lines newly established after forced retirement from terrain which they had won in earlier days at a tremendous sacrifice.

Following the declaration of war by the United States, Cuba and Liberia declared themselves on the side of the Allies.  Panama pledged the United States her aid in defending the Panama Canal.  Costa Rica put her naval bases at its disposal.  China, Bolivia, Guatemala and Brazil severed diplomatic relations with Germany.  Uruguay expressed her sympathy with the United States.  Late in July Siam entered the war against the central powers, and on August 14 China formally declared war against Germany and Austria.  This made a total of seventeen nations arrayed against the central powers.

As to the prospects for the fourth year of the war, which opened in August, 1917, American sentiment was expressed by the New York Sun, which said editorially:  “We expect today as at first that the end will be catastrophic overthrow for the Kaiser and the military party of Germany, and a dreary expiation by the German people of their sin in allowing themselves to be dragooned into the most immoral enterprise of the ages.”

UNITED STATES WAR ACTIVITIES

The Army bill providing for raising a new national army by selective draft duly passed the House of Representatives and the United States Senate and was signed by President Wilson on May 18, 1917.  The President forthwith issued a proclamation calling on all male inhabitants of the United States between the ages of 21 and 30 to register for the draft on the following June 5.  At the same time he formally declined the offer of Col.  Roosevelt to raise a volunteer army for immediate service in France.