Evening star., 1915-04-13
RECENT FRENCH SUCCESS
GIVES A BIG ADVANTAGE
Coming Three Months Expected to
Be Memorable in History Of
Great War.
SAYS THE FOE LACKS vIG0R
Official "Eye-Witness" Draws Con-
clusion From Failure of Ger
mans to Return Recent
Attacks by British.

LONDON, April I3, I:13 pm.
Field Marshal Sir John French's
message to his countrymen at
home that Il know when the time
comes for us to make our great
move we can break through the
Germans, and the British eye
witness statement of yesterday
that there are plain signs of the
gradual weakening of the Ger
man resistance. are accepted here
as an intimation that the present
steady pressure on the western
front will shortly develop into
events Of vaster scope
1t is thus expected that the next
three months will be especially
memorable in this epos hmaking
war.
Signal for Final Offensive.
| Military writer's are of the opinion
| that the reported French successes be-
tween the Meuse and the Moselle-an
important region stretching between
! the rival fortresses of verdun and
Metz-have given a promising opening
for the spring campaign.
They regard it as the signal for the
final offensive movement which has
been awaiting the arrival of adequate
| accumulations Of men, equipment and
supplies.
| The suspension Of infantry lighting
in this all-important Verdun district
has been quickly broken down. as was
expected, by the gallant German at
| tempt to recapture the position of Les
Eparges. possession of which enabled
| Gen. Joffre to give another twist to the
screw of the wise wherewith he hopes
| to grip the German position of st.
Mihiel, that bastionlike projection into
the French line which the invaders
have held tenaciously for so many
| months.
Germans Fail to Counter.
1T is a significant fact that although
a month has passed since the action at
Neuve Chapelle the enemy has made
| no attempt to retaliate in any quarter,
but has remained inactive, while we
have established ourselves securely on
the ground won," is a declaration made
by the eyewitness attached to Brit
ish army headquarters on the conti-
nent in communication dated April Q.
Continuing. the writer says:
Looking back over the past four
months, it is Instructive to note the
gradual weakening Of the German re-
sistance on our front Formerly any
offensive action on our part was met
with an immediate counterstroke.
This is the first occasion on which the
enemy has made no reply at all
This does not mean, OF course. that
the resistance is collapsing. but the
Germans have none the less admitted
that with the troops at their disposal
on this front they are unable to
avenge their defeat Some light has
been thrown lately on the conditions
prevailing In the area behind the Ger
man lines which served to confirm the
impression that the general situation
is creating great anxiety.
Enemy Losing Heart.
Referring to the condition bordering
on panic which prevailed at Lille dur
ing the fighting at Neuve Chapelle, this
writer goes on to say:
Both officers and men have openly
expressed their uneasiness. Apparently
general demeanor of the German troops
soon after Christmas. Till then they
had been absolutely confident and eX-
tremely cheerful, but latterly this feel
ing has been steadily decreasing. Ger
man soldiers have told French civilians
they recognize they would be over
powered by the masses of men England
was going to place In the field. and
they have tried to persuade them that
the English were equally bent on ruin
ing France. and that they would grab
everything for themselves"
tions the fact that the German war
levy at Lille. Roubaix and Tourocing
during the month of March amounted
to 100000 francs $1.ooo.oo0).
Germans Scorn Death.
PARIS, April 13.-There has been given
out In Paris description by an eye
witness Of the attempt made by the Ger
mans April and to retake a small fort
at Beausejour held by the French.
Two companies of volunteers led in this =
attack. They showed absolute con- .
tempt for death. but, nevertheless. they
were stopped by the fire Of the French ar
tillery and infantry. Only few Of them
escaped Another attack. in which the
Germans paid a heavy price. was sue
cessful in capturing the nrst line OF
trenches These positions were held by
two companies until April 9. The Ger
mans wore SO thick in these trenchs that
they crowded each other and interfered
with the freedom Of operations. Into this
mass of men tho French artillery fired.
Those who escaped the shells were mostly
bayoneted by the French infantry. Only
ten men survived.
236 Killed in japanese Mine.