Evening star., 1917-04-15
Believed Haig's Present Effort
May Prove Decisive Bat
tie of the War.
u. S. AMAZES WORLD
BY SPEED OF ACTION
Preparations Go Forward by Leaps
and Bounds-Latin America
in Sympathy.
REFORMS FOR GERMANY
REFORMS FOR GERMANY
Kaiser May Not Be Able to Stem
Tide for Internal Adjustment Be-
fore Conflict Closes-Russia
Beset With Troubles.
BY OLIVER OWEN KUHN.


fought over the blood-soaked fields of
present war?
Though the United States has been
greatly interested in preparation for
Its own participation in the worlds
greatest conflict. nevertheless interest
has been centered to a great degree on
the wonderful strides being made by
the French and British forces toward
ousting the Germans from France.
Military experts of this country as
well as abroad, now are inclined to the
belief that the fighting which has been
going on during the past week in the
regions about Arras will go farther
than any blow that has yet been struck
toward weakening the morale of the
German forces and completely demoral-
izing their plans.
Won Hindenburs is in extreme peril.
Even German critics do not minimize
his danger. though protesting greatest
confidence that the German armies Will
live UP to their task. the while gloating
over one fact-"the British and French
have not been able to break through
yet encountered by the fighting forces in
France the British
Heavy Artillery kept up tre-
Fire Paves Way. artjlIerv fire nnon
German positions along twelve-mile
stretch from Givenchy-en-Gohelle to
Henin-sur- Cojeul, which includes the ia
nous Vimy ridge, the pivot for the Hin
denburg line The Germans were terribly
oppressed by the enemy fire for period
of days. Monday British infantry ad-
vances began. The men in the front Ger
man lines were unable TO get food from
the rear so effective was the British bar
rage fire.
After the elaborate system of forti-
.ications in the Niny ridge region had
been crumbled by the fierce fire of
allied guns the British set out to finish
the job and during their offensive eff
forts during the next two days they ad-
vanced five miles TO the east of Arras,
capturing more than u. .000 prisoners from
at least SIX defending German divI-
sions.
Possibly the real story of the Ger
man rout is gained by the announce
ment that 165 guns were captured by
Haig's men. the Canadians playing the
chief role in the battles OF the week.
The Germans We're completely Surpris-
ed by the power shown by the British.
and were unable to remove their guns.
That the losses in equipment alone will
do much further TO demoraliZe Won
Hindenburg's plans goes without say
ing.
The whole Won Hindenburg line
stretching from the region of Lens
through Cambria, st. Quentin and Laon
now is in Immediate danger. The Ger
mans are reported to be falling back
on another line which they have estab-
hshed. the last but one defensive position
before they cross the French frontier.
from the present battle line. This second
AIRY line which the Germans have been
preparing Is as yet incomplete, and if the
British are able 10 continue to enlarge
their salient in the Arras region the
northern section of the Hindenburg
line Will be successfully ftanked, and
there is telling just how far the Ger
mans will be forced to fall back.
While the British are striving to the
north. renewal of the fiercest sort of
artillery engagements on the front be-
low st. Quentin. Where the French, I'M
der Gen. Nivel1e, are operating. indi
Gates that Nivelle soon may attempt to
drive a wedge into the German line in
the general vicinity of Vailly and Cra-
Oune. Activity all along this section of
the line through the Champagne to
Ne-dun is highly significant, and a
power and effectiveness that ushered in
sections Is extremely likely within the
course o9 the next few days.