New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-22
Allies Wind Up
First Phase Of
Winning Drive
Hindenburg's Move Now, as
Advancing Armies Con-
solidate Gains
British Capture
Another Village
Gonnelieu Falls to Them;
French Extend Their
Lines Near Craonne

London, April 21.-The first phase Of
the gigantic conflict begun by the
Franco British high command to drive
the intrenched Germans from Northern
France seems to be over. Throughout
the length Of the great angle from
Loos to Scissors, and from SCISSORS to
Auberive. In the Champagne, the in
vaders have been everywhere blasted
from their trenches. the old Hinden-
burg line has been repeatedly cut and
the German army has lost over $4,000
| prisoners and $50 guns.
This statement of prisoners and guns
captured by the Allied troops on the
Western front, including the period
from April 8 to April 20, was issued
by the French War Office tonight. 1t
indicates two things; first, that the
French and British governments con-
slider the engagements known various
| ly as the Battle of Arras, the drive
upon Cambria and st. Quentin, the
| Battle of the Aisne and the offensive
! in the Champagne a single grand OPP
Grafton; and, second, that for the time
being this operation is suspended. 1t
| has been the invariable custom of the
French General Staff not to mention
aggregate total captures of men and
artillery until the operations which
made them possible have begun to crys-
tallize into history.
Rritish Win Another Mile
This does not mean the fighting is
over-not even the immediate fighting:
The British Yesterday made a mile OF
progress and took the village OF Con
nelieu, holding it firmly against stiif
German counter attacks. The French
continued to edge the Germans back
upon the Craonne plateau and to
smother their efforts to win back some
of the reconquered ground. But the
coordinated forward sweep of the two
armies has ceased, and the big, major
battles have given place to smaller &C
tions pressed vigorously for local or
tactical objects. What the military
chiefs call consolidation" is taking
place.
There are strong signs that the gen.
eral offensive may be renewed almost
at once. II is in the German official
bulletins that these must be sought,
and for three days Berlin has hesitat-
ed as to whether the big-gun fire-that
herald of offensives-has become most
violent in the bulge beyond Arras or
on the banks of the Aisne. The British
have had time to bring their heavy
batteries up to the new line, but If the
French have dragged their big pieces
to the rolling uplands above the Aisne,
as seems to be the case, it is an ex-
traordinary feat for their engineer
corps.
However, the great question is:
"What will Hindenburg do?" II is now
his move. Close observers OF Germany
declare that he must strike in the West,
if not to save an anxious dynasty, at
least for the political effect upon
depressed and anxious people. More
over. German strategy is built upon
the offensive. Up to the present that
has been the psychology of the Teutonlc
military class.
Can Hindenburg Do It?
But Allied leaders are asking: "Can
Hindenburg now muster general Oh.
fensive in the West with any hope OF
victory?" The loss of $50 guns would
have been a calamity unthinkable IN
Germany a year ago. The dispropor,,
tion between the Allied casualties and
the great numbers of prisoners capt
ured. the condition Of these prisoners,
the sanguinary repulse of every Ger
man counter attack, the clrcumstan-
tial reports that all immediate German
reserves have been rushed up to choke
back the rising Allied tide, all sug-
gest something like decentralization In
the German ranks, which would re-
auire more than hasty reorganiza-
ton to eradicate. Besides, German
troops have everywhere been driven
from the systems of intrenchments
from which the Hindenburg with.
drawal from Bapsume and Peronns
was swung. into new and more hastily
scooped trenches. II Hindenburg
elects a general offensive il must start
from ground chosen almost as much by
the Allies as by himself.
Furious Artillery Duels
Meanwhile, though these questions
are doubtless receiving their due con-
sideration from the French and British
stats. the plans of the Allies are be-
ing methodically worked out. All along
the French front to-day there were
furious artillery duels, not even inter-
rupted by sharp thrusts OF the French
infantry at points of tactical advantage
near Nanteuil-le-Fosse. above Sancy, on
the Craonne Plateau. on both sides OF
Craonne ITSELF on the front running
down toward Rheims and along the
line Of the Moronyilliers hills. The
poilus kept up a continuous harrass-
ment of the German lines.
The French have solidly reorganized
all the positions thus far taken, and,
where they could without unnecessary
sacrifice, they have extended them.
/ Thus. at Hurtebise, west OF Craonne,
and one of the points where they have
cut the Chemin des Danes, they were
able to 20 forward through spirited
hand grenade attacks. The pressure at
Hurtebise has caused daily nervous re-
actions on the part Of the Germans
ever since the farm was captured.
And above Braye-on- -Laonnois four
separate attempts OF the Germans TO
deboueh from their trenches were
promptly given up under the French
barrage. AS far as possible the French
| leaders are letting high explosive shells
do the work, rather than men, who can
not be replaced. Not a position has
been taken by the French infantry that
was not practically pulveriZed before
they were called on 70 occupy II. This
accounts for the rather surprisingly