The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times., 1917-11-29

OF their defense lines impregnable.
They also thought an attack In force
on such defenscs could not be made
successfully without artillery prepa.
ration. At tremendous cost they have
learned they were mistaken In both In.
stances.
Attack Has Several objects.
Aside from the capture Of Cambria
and the possible forcing Of a general
retreat Of the Germans on the west
front, the immediate object Of this
British offensive probably was to re-
iieve the pressure on the Italians and
TO prevent n threatened attack by the
Teutonic forces on the Saloniki front.
Very large numbers OF German troops
have been taken from the Russian
front, and while many Of them were
sent to replace the worn-out divisions
In Flanders, others probably were
turned toward the Greek frontier.
Not many could be used In Italy owing
to the narrowness Of the fighting front
there.
Ii does not seem reasonable to as
sumo, from the success Of Byng's at
tack. that the allies have any Idea Of
abandoning high explosive artillery
preparation for such movements In the
future and depending on the use Of
great musses OF infantry. regardless
Of tho consequent heavy casualties.
Either great droves Of tanks such az
Byng used, or heavy shelling. IL nee
essary to open the way for infantry.
and II Is likely the tanks alone could
not have done II II the Germans had
aot been taken so completely by sur
prise.
The movements OF the French last
week were not so sensational as those
OF the British, but they were Of great
Importance. A strong salient Of the
German line TO the south Of Juvin-
court was attacked and partly straight
ened out, and all the positions recent
ly won north OF the Chemin des Danes
were maintained. II Is not unlikely
that the Germans will be forced to a
line north Of Laon, losing that very
important city.
Alienby Surrounding jerusalem.
jerusalem seems the certain prize OF
General Allcnby's expeditionary forces
In Palestine, for after taking Jana he
moved on to the east and northeast un-
I'll he had the city almost surrounded.
II the Turks attempt seriously to de-
fend 1t, II may be Allenby will draw
Gordon about II and starve them into
surrender, rather than shock the
Christian world by bombarding its
holiest shrines.
The remarkable tenacity with which
the Italians held on to their Piave
river line and Its continuation In the
Brenta so checked the Austro-G German
advance that attacks virtually ceased
during the first half OF the week. On
Thursday, however, the enemy began
great mass attack on the upper Pi-
ave where II bends to the northeast
into the Belluno Alps. The German
commander brought into action picked
troops of the Prussian guards, some
Of the best units from the west and
Russian fronts and n large body Of the
notoriously brutal mountaineers from
lower Hungary.
American Troops Going over Fast
II Is no breach OF confidential infor-
nation 10 state now that the transpor-
tatlon of American troops to Europe
H. going forward with increasing rapid.
ity, aud that General Pershing prob
ably will have'a million men In his
command by next summer The train
ing Of great part Of the National
army will he curtailed In America and
completed quickly on French soil.
The British government has now come
over to the view OF the French war
commission that visited us. and ID
urging that our troops get into action
In as large numbers and as swiftly as
is possible. This has been the pro-
gram Of the administration for some
time, and the ship-building program
has been speeded up accordingly. In
fact, President Wilson Ia insisting on
swiftness In all departments, and on
Monday he made his requirements In
this line clear to various cabinet off,
GERS and other officials. At the same
time he appolnted Daniel Willard