Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-04-22

/
| British alone have captured more than
| ESQ of the Germans estimated 700 Dig
| cannon. while countless other guns
have been destroyed. Just how many
guns the French have taken and in
\ what proportion. is not yet known but
| that the Germans have suffered heavily
| goes without question in view of the
striking successes achieved by GEN
| Nivelles men. Undoubtedly. the Ger
! man effort to impede the British and
| French advances will pc more dimcult
| through the loss of artillery, particu-
| larly in view of the fact that the allies
have lost few of their guns. Further
| more. there are new guns Of all de-
scriptions in the supply concentration
camps behind allied lines awaiting the
| moment when they shall be needed to
| replace those destroyed at the front.
| Morale and attrition are entering into
the question of final results more than at
| any time since
Moro1o Te Noxu the war started
| The allies are en-
Important Factor. deavoring to in
hict enormous losses on the Germans, for
| through this method the German is most
easily discouraged. The British have cap
tured in the neighborhood Of $4,000 men
| during the past two weeks Gen. Nivelle's
| forces operating south of St. Quentin
claim to have taken almost like number
of unwounded Teutons This does not ac-
count for the thousands of wounded Ger
mans which surely have been picked up
I by the French in their wide advances IN
recent days. Two German divisions, each
of about 20, 900 men at war strength, nave
been riddled by the fire of French guns.
Many divisions also have been cut up by
hat fVIlyY I'll
German soldiers have been actually killed
during the operations in the past -FOUR
weeks This horrible slaughter cannot
| help but weigh heaviiy on me 1er, rna,
degree 1t is most likely that these DIS
| abled divisions must be reorganized by
Won Hindenburg before they come up 10
| Dispatches from the battle fronts IN
France indicate that the Germans are
daily showing signs Of greater disintegra-
| officers. German leaders who have been
| captured by the British declare that Cen
| Haig's men never could have taken the
heavily fortified Vimy ridge had the Ger,
| man troops fought as they were expected
| to fight
The Germans also are despairing of
| the business of their cause. now that II
4 is becoming generally known that the
\ United states has taken sides with the
| allies That there is a spirit OF d1ssat-
| isfaction over the curtailment OF bread
| rations in the army is borne out by the
\ stories of German prisoners. Between
| the artillery and infantry arms there is
| much bitterness because of the fact
\ that the artillery has not lived up TO
| expectations in protecting German
front lines from advancing French and
| British 1t is even stated that the
| British are forced to separate the men
\ from the artillery and infantry arms,
| owing to many fsticuffs between them
| in prisoners cages. There also pre-
| walls the belief that the Prussian lead
ers are sacrificing Bavarians and troops
| from other provinces of Germany and
protecting the Prussian soldiers as
| much as possible.
| Undoubtedly the present small seeds
| of discomfort will bear fruit and fur
Their seeds of dissension will be scat
tered broadcast in the ranks OF the
Teuton forces. The outcome naturally
may be seen even from this distance.
If German troops are now being prod
ded to get them to fight. the difficulties
of the leaders
German Leaders OF the German
Facing Difficulties. expected to in
4 crease tenfold before the fall months
have arrived, particularly in view of
the fact that the allied drives may be
expected to continue indefinitely, each
one with greater power and effective
ness and each one with multitudinous
causes for encouragement among Ger
! man soldiers.
While the Germans have anything but
an ideal state of morale. the French
and British are fired to the greatest de-
gree of ardor. They are advancing as
happy children. They come back after
days of vicious fighting wreathed in
smiles. gleeful over gains registered.
Everywhere there is greatest enthu-
siasm since they confidently believe
that Fritz" is on the run for all time
to come.
Haig and Nivelle need have no wor-
ries over the morale of their forces.
The determination of their men is in
spring even to an onlooker. Results
surely must follow with such degree
of confidence prevailing,
After having drawn their lines on
three sides of Lens and approached
within a few miles of St Ouen-
tin to the north the British have
been content with minor gains during
, the past week. A lull along the British
end of the battle line was expected, in
view of the fact that it now is incum-
bent upon them to consolidate all their
| present positions and move their sup
plies farther forward. The bringing
UP of the heavy guns which are ex-
pected to still further smash the Ger
man lines is a great task. Behind the
present British line soldiers are work
ing as bees In reassembling the great
stores OF war which must be moved
; eastward The men are rebuilding
roads. erecting bridges and in every
way taking advantage of the present
lull that future main offensive endeav-
ors may be crowned with greatest sue
| cess.
Inasmuch as ii seems to be the gen.
eral plan of Gems. Nivelle and Haig to
alternate in their offensives. it may be
expected that in the course of the next
, few days the British will again take
up the gage Of battle and whip the
J Germans from Lens and St Quentin.
The capture of these two positions will
break the Hindenburg line in the mid
, IDLE. and. because Of the development OF