ing year, 1917.
The crushing of Roumania was accomplished almost entirely by treachery.
The Germans knew the plans of all the principal fortifications; the
strength and plans of the Roumanian forces, and every detail calculated
to be of benefit. The country had been honeycombed with their spies
prior to and during the war, very much as Russia had been. It is quite
evident that men high in the councils of the Roumanian government and in
full possession of the military secrets of the country were simply
disguised German agents.

Between July and November had occurred the great battles of the Somme
during which the Allies had failed to break the German lines. The
Austrians in June had launched a great attack and made much progress
against the Italians in the Trentino. The principal offsets to the
German gains during the last seven months of the year 1916 were the
Russian offensive in Volhynia and Bukovina, and the counter drive of the
Italians against the Austrians. The Russians captured Czernovitz June
17, and by the end of the month had overrun the whole of Bukovina. The
Italians drove out the Austrians between August 6 and September 1,
winning August 9 the important city and fortress of Gorizia.

Submarine incidents important to this government were not lacking during
the latter half of the year. The German submarine U-53 suddenly appeared
October 8 in the harbor at Newport, R.I. The commander delivered
letters for the German ambassador and immediately put to sea to begin
ravages on British shipping off the Nantucket coast. Among the five or
six vessels sunk was the steamer Stephano, which carried American
passengers. The passengers and crews of all the vessels were picked up
by American destroyers and no lives were lost. The episode, which was an
eight-day wonder, and resulted in a temporary tie-up of shipping in
eastern ports, started numerous rumors and several legal questions, none
of which, however, turned out finally to have been of much importance,
as U-53 vanished as suddenly as it had appeared, and its visit was not
succeeded by any like craft. It is not improbable that the purpose of
the German government in sending the boat to our shores was to convey a
hint of what we might expect if we should become involved with Germany.
October 28 the British steamer Marina was torpedoed with a loss of six
American lives.

The straining of President Washington's advice and the Monroe Doctrine
were again evident through