New Britain herald., 1917-11-13
SECRETARY BAKER
 GIVES OUT RESUME
Says Germany Is Attempting to
 Cause a Split Among the Allies OUR TROOPS IN BATTLE
Statement Tells of Germans Making An Attack on Trench Occupied by American Soldiers, Causing Casual ties and Taking Few Prisoners.

American Soldiers, Causing Casual
 ties and Taking Few Prisoners. Washington. Nov. 13.-The effect of Germany's Political Offenslves'' against Russia and Italy upon tho task ahead of the Allies is recognized in Secretary Bakers weekly review of military operations issued today by the war department.
 The close inter-relation of events on all fronts cannot too frequently be emphas asized," says the review
 The political situation in Russia made 1t possible for the enemy to 1 detach important contingents in the east which were speedily transported to the Italian front.
 Tt is not unlikely that before in- itiating their powerful drive against the Italian forces the enemy made painstaking and systematic attempts to undermine the morale of the Italian troops, with a view to breaking down their resisting power.
 ] ''This carefully planned political offensive conducted preparatory to their military offensive, reveals clear ly the present methods of the Ger. mans.
 Surveying the broader aspects of the European situation today, we find that the enemy in the last is con- lining his efforts to political propa- ganda. Along the Italian sector he has recently made desperate attempts to secure a decision by means of a politico- military drive in the west. while attempting to sap the fighting strength of the belligerent peoples. the enemy has now been compelled to act on the defensive and Is being { slowly but surely driven back. 1 Tt should be borne in mind. how ever, the further disintegration of the Russian forces will mean that the i Germans will be able to thin out their line along this front, which will thus automatically contribute to the stiff ening of their resistance in the west, as we'll as render available added ! contingents to take part in the en- , agreements now proceeding in Italy. 1 During the week just closed, both the British and French were able to " recover significant tactical gains. tho continuation of a long series of power fully driven ohCnsiNos.
 "Nith Passchendacle securely in British hands, the first stage of the operations begun during the last week | a successful close
 ''The French counterpart of the British success took place north of the Aisne. Here the retreat of the enemy, anticipated last week, was carried out. The pressure of the French offensive, which has grown slow ly and methodically in volume and 1n- tensity, reached climax when, by the recent French advance in this sector they were enabled to pierce the Ger man lines along the crest of the Chemin des Danes. For the past three years the presence of the enemy on this ridge had been a source of much anxiety to the French. TO dis lodge them was principal objective of the repeated offensives developed by General Petain since last April. The sudden forced evacuation of some forty square miles of the most import ant terrain in this sector of the front has been the tangible results achieved. '"rhe importance of these success 1 full French advances must not be , overlooked. It means more than a. mere gain of so many square miles of territory, it means the penetration of the powerfully fortified Siegfried line, hitherto considered by the enemy impregnablc, and pushed back his main defensive position to within five miles of the fortress of Laon, the major objective.
 "In the sector where a small de- tachment of our troops had taken up their places in the trenches as a part of their training, the enemy Gas is customary in trench warfare when fresh troops are believed to have taken places in front line trenches) for accommodating purposes executed a well planned raid and succeeded in temporarily penetrating the short segment of the line held by our forces. inflictins a few casualties and taking prisoners.
 "A unit of our artillery, also in the with the enemy and acquitted itself very creditably in this first encounter.
 Tn Italy the situation is developing as normally as can be expected under the circumstances.
 '"The Italian retreat. somewhat con- fused in it's earlier stages, has now 1 berome more orderly.
 "The morale of the armies, shaken bv the recent events is being rapidly rest tored. Allied endorsements have now formed a junction with the Italians The pressure of the enemy ia no greater
 Along the eastern front no opera
 (Continued on Seventh Puse)