The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-04-02
Every Available Man Being
Gathered to Colors for
Great Effort. i
Intense Collection Of
Strength Indicates Ap-
proach Of Huge Assault.

Copenhagen, April 1.--Via London
Germany. according to information
reaching here from Berlin, now is.
gathering to the colors every available
man for supreme military effort to
bring the war to victorious cOnclu-
sion in this years campaign-a goal
which Field Marshal Won Hindenburg
and his advisers consider by no means
impossible Of attainment.
Without altering formally the law
of military service, German authorities
have extended the period of service
beyond the forty fifth year and are
retaining with the colors, and in many
instances for fighting duty with active
units in the front line, landstrum men
who have passed this age. The policy
of the German war department, as
stated in the reichstag this week by
military representative Is to withdraw
those men over Is from the front after
six months of duty there, but military
exigencies compel the holding Of these
over-age men for service in the region
behind the actual fighting front.
The operations of the labor service
law. now in fun swing. are further
releasing for service at the front every
available man capable of carrying a
rifle. so that the next two or three
months should see the German armies
at their maximum size.
Industrial Mobilization.
Simultaneous with this draining to
the dregs of human reservoirs OF SOL
der material, Germanys Industrial
mobilization also Is approaching a cli-
max. A scheme for converting every
available factory and employing every
available machine on war work and
manning, them with labor obtained
under the labor service law is con-
templated. The work is to be done in
three stages and the construction of a
third group of munition plants is TO
begin Immediately. The output Of
cannon munitions. therefore, should
soon reach its maximum
The German main headquarters, ac-
cording to reports received here, now
Is established at Kreuznach on the
Rhine. the general staff headquarters
at Charleville and Mezieres. twin
French towns where Emperor Will
liams military capital was located for
almost two years until Won Hinden-
burg's appointment to the chief COM
mand. having been abandoned shortly
before the Somme retirement.
This change In headquarters perhaps
may throw some light on Won Hinden-
burg's plans as the new choice, while
centrally located as regards the whole
western front, Is better situated for
control of the operations along the
southern sector of that front than was
the former site.
Purpose Of Retreat.
On the surface there are indications
that the purpose Of the Somme retire.
ment appears to be developing not as
a scheme for bringing on great open
field engagement at that particular
part Of thief ront, but to avoid the i'm
pending onslaught by the mighty ar
ray of Anslo-French artillery massed
on that sector and to delay a renewal
of an Anglo French offensive by the
time required to advance the big guns
to the new line.
German newspapers are now thor
ioughly broken to the censorship and
the publication Of field post letters has
ceased, SO the most careful scrutiny of
the German press gives no indications
as to what direction the troops, re-
leased by the shortening and straight
ening oe the line, are going.
There is reason to believe that the
retirement has by no means reached
it's limit, particularly in the southern
sector. The map of the retirement
now appearing in the German news
papers shows a big salient still exist
Ing westward OF Laon which, il
Strengthened out would make the Won
Hindenburg line run in almost a
straight course from Arras through
st. Quentin and Laon to point on the
Aisne near Berry -au- -Bac.