Arizona republican., 1917-10-08
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Republican A. p. Leased Wire1

WASHINGTON. Oct. 7.-Decisive ascendency for the allies in the Su- preme test of battle strength now talk ing place on the bloody fields of Elan ders is claimed by Secretary Baker in the weekly review of War operations issued tonight by the war department. While it may be premature to assert that the British war machine has forced a decision over the Germans, MT. Baker says the victories of the past fortnight, threatening the Ger man submarine bases on the Belgian coast are conclusive indications of the allies superiority. With favor able weather, he thinks. these victories will be repeated and extended.
 The review, which is for the week ended last night, makes no reference to the American forces in France or to the great preparations going forward at home
 "The attention of the world" it says, lis focused on the titanic struggle now going on in Flanders. The battle raging there is proving an engagement of wholly unprecedented scope and po- tentialities.
 At the beginning of the week, owing to bad weather. the Germans were able to launch counter attacks against the positions recently gained bv the British. Notwithstanding the fact that the tiermans made use of smoke screens. liquid fire and brought into action an imposing array of artillery in their attack against the advanced British lines between the Tower Ham lets and Polygon wood. as well as along the Menin road, their efforts proved futile
 "lt is significant on the other hand, IDrt. .f.I, cfatf n Q the shock of German assaults success. fully they were able to bring up suffi- cient fresh troops in order to launch another offensive action on an even larger scale than the preceding one. in the face of the enemy's onslaught.
 Slowly. but therefore the more ir- resistibly the allied drive at the heart of the German line in the west is sweeping onward.
 The wisdom of the British in main tairing great density ot front would appear justified by the results achieved during the past week. It must be borne in mind that it is due to the depth of the British line as much as to any other one factor, that while the enemy is still reeling under one blow. the allies are ready to deliver another and still a third.
 'It has been characteristic of the campaign in Flanders hitherto that neither belligerent has attained what he may call a decisive success.
 ''The defeats inflicted upon the Germans during the past fortnight are conclusive indications of allied su- periority.
 The full success of these opera tions means that the Belgian coast, with it's numerous submarine bases. will become untenable to the enemy. Zeebrugge. Ostend and the system of canals leading out of the Bruges. are threatened.
 The supreme strength of the battle strength of the contesting belliger- ents is taking place. Allied ascend ancy would appear decisive.
 "The two immediate contributing factors of this success are: Air con- trol and shell supply
 ''The enemy realizes the danger he is facing. We may expect him to counter attack in force. He may even regain certain secondary objectives temporarily, but the British war ma chine is moving forward. and if time permits and the combat season re- mains open, the allied victories of the past two weeks will in all probability be repeated and extended"
 The review sketches briefly the weeks news from other fronts, with the comment that reports from the Russian front are more encouraging