Evening journal., 1917-03-29
GERMAN Retreat
At final STAGE
Allied Armies Continue
Vigorous Hammering of
Won Hindenburg' Front
FRENCH GAIN NEW
VANTAGE POINTS
BY the United Press.


LONDON, March 29.-Oficial state
ments from all belligerents today in
dictate that the German retreat on the
western front is apparently reaching
It's final stages. From now on the
lighting will probably be by the most
of the men on both sides not Of the
type heretofore eXemplifed in war
fare Of hurriedly advancing forces
clashing in comparatively open order
with rear guards. TOday's battle
front dispatches. including the Paris
official statement reporting French
forces "in contact everywhere with
the enemy hnes,' indicated the chang
ing character Of the conflict
Moreover. as indicative Of the close
approach of the French to the perma-
nent "Hindenburg line" the Paris
statement spoke OF a bombardment
from big guns Of the enemy, direct
ed at scissors. Big guns presum-
ably means that type of artillery re-
Quiring permanent emplacements-
such as are undoubtedly built on the
permanent line British front dis
patches indicated Haig's troops have
not approached as close to this Ger
man line as the French, as the
British are still making use of arm
Ored cars and cavalry, useful only In
open fighting
Berlin reported mass attacks around
Hill 304. in the Verdun sector and gen
eral artillery conflict along the line
OF the retreat with heavy losses in
ficted on the AngloFrench troops.
General Murray reported success in
the British movement toward Jerusa-
lem with the defeat of a big force OF
Turks south of GAIA. The British are
endeavoring to strike a second blow at
Turkish morale by the advance on
Jerusalem, comparable TO their cap
ture of Bagdad.
The Russian official statement indi-
Gated a resumption Of violent fighting
on the eastern front with intense Ger
man attacks repulsed.
No only is the Franco-British ad-
vance OF the retreating Germans on
the western front going entirely toe
fast to suit the Teutonic militarist
plans, but there is great unrest at
home among the German people.
Dispatches from Holland today gave
hint of these things. They reported
efforts of the leaders to quiet an
undercurrent of sentiment for greater
power for the people by sudden de
cision at once TO grant increased
powers Of the voters by detailed ofi
cial admission Of the increasing grav
ity of the food situation and told o.
a growing spirit of democracy, in
spired by news Of the success Of the
Russian revolutiOnists
General apprehension has been caus
ed by the frank admissions of Foo,
Director Herr BatOck as to the wan
ing food supply. That the Germal
government has found It necessary L
grant a small fee to aid the ration
ing Of citizens was regarded as al
open admission of governmental rec
ognition of this fact Batocki wa
quoted as declaring estimates of sur
plies had been too optimistic and a
forecasting still further reductions II
food
Socialist speakers in the Reichstal
committee meeting were reported 4
have declared the 1916 harvest, whicl
Germany has depended upon TO carr,
her through. was less in grains thai
the 1915 crop-snd the 1915 crop hal
been regarded as alarmingly short
Reductions now planned by the gov
ernment are expected to cut the brea
supply nearly in half
Military observers today cOmmente
on the elaborate explanations whic
the German leaders have been mal
ing OF the retreat on the wester
front. as indicating a realization O
unrest among the people.