Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-04-16

notwithstanding the claims that the
recent western retirement has been
entirely according to German plans,
Where the Germans still hold their
old positions north Of Loos, the slight
est movement on the part of the Brit
ish sends them into panic. Flares
and signal rockets of all colors spring
from their trenches. Bombs are cast
into no-man's land; trench mortars
set up a defensive barrage and artil-
lery help is frantically called for.
Flares Are Picturesque.
Some of the German flares and
lights are most amusing as well as
spectacular Their latest star shells
have parachute attachment and
hang suspended in the air for a long
time, lighting up the surrounding
country for several hundred yards.
They break into three balls, and the
British soldiers call them pawn
brokers'"
The Germans in the front line have
long been worried by the inferiority OF
their artillery to that of the British.
A recently captured German report
makes complaint that the artillery
often fails to answer the call for help
and continues:
For our infantry, which since the
Somme battle has been on the de
fensive, it is from the point of view
of morale of importance to be able to
count upon artillery support. lnfan-
try that comes to regard itself merely
as II target for the hostile artillery
must in the long run give way. A
prompt and effective reply to hostile
shells has a recuperative effect on the
morale of the troops, even in the most
difficult situations"
Letters Significant.
Conditions within the German lines
just prior to the battle of Arras and
the depressed state of many of the
German soldiers are eloquently de-
scribed in translated extracts from
letters captured during the recent
fighting. TWO letters in particular,
both written by Bavarians in regi-
ments opposite Arras, are wonderfully
impressive. One of them indicates
clearly the disheartening effect the
entry of the United States into the
war has had. 1t is dated Aplil 6 and
reads:
I'VE now have very bad position
at Arras, where we have been under
a continuous hurricane of fire for six
days. The English at times fire gas
shells, which are not exactly pleasant
When everything imaginable Is turned
against one, one cannot stand It; then
it is all over. The sights around one
are simply cruel; it is enough to drive
one mad.
"It is not longer righteous cause; ;
of that ! am convinced. But one al
ways begins TO hope again, and think
that it must come to an end. But 1t
is not possible. The world is in too
mad a state. We are the tools and
allow ourselves to be belabored.
Peace Seems Hopeless.
"Now America comes in to make 1t
last longer Everybody wants to chip
in: believe it will never end; peace
will never return to the land"
The second letter dated Easter,
which was the day before the British
attack began, tells h6G unwelcome to
the Germans have been the weapons
of their own invention when turned
against them. It says: For the last
four days the English have been fir
ing gas shells all over the Germans
in order to harm the Germans as
much as possible. The regiment-the
Eighth Bavaran-has already had
considerable losses in killed and
gassed. The sad point is that the
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