Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-08-01

a torrential rain which is hamper
The extent of the permanent ad-
vantage gained by the smashing of the
German lines in the important section
further developments.
Definite objectives were assigned the
various allied units for attainment In
the first days stroke, and these appear
to have been gained almost in their
entirety.
The logical supposition with the his
tory of the Somme and Arras opera
tions. particularly the former, in mind.
is that the drive will be renewed as
soon as the heavy guns are moved up,
in pursuit of the plan of driving a
wedge into the German lines by sue
cessive strokes until point is reached
when the falling back of the enemy on
a wide front will be forced.
Threat to U-Boat Bases.
The Importance to be attached to a
drive into German-held territory in this
sector must be gauged not only by the
reclaiming Of Belgian soil from the in
vaders, which it makes possible, but the
threat it offers to the German SUD
marine bases along the Belgian coast.
A push much further eastward aions
bound to shake the security OF the Ger
man coast line. -
The desperation of the German re-
sistance, now manifesting itself In fur1-
Gus counter attacks. bears witness TO
the importance the German high COM
mand attaches to retention of the pres
ent front This front has been shown
to be not the rigid one the Ieutonlc
claims have made it out. Badly bent
by Yesterdays attack, the immediate
future is likely to show whether it can
be strained to the breaking point.
May Be Wars Biggest Battle.
BY the Associated Press.
PARIS, August 1.-The battle Of
Flanders has begun and the indications
are that it will be the biggest battle
of the war The offensive Of the French
some weeks past, for although the
French and British official communica-
tions gave no inkling of it. the Ger
man reports showed clearly large
scale operation was preparing. Ine
French public. however. did not know
that French troops had been dispatched
to share in the assault
Originally the front from the North
sea coast to Ypres had been held by
the French in the Nieuport region. then
bv the Belgians as far as Elverdinghe,
and then by the British. The British
troops later relieved the French and
part of the Belgians along the coast.
1t is thoroughly recognized here that
the operation is only the beginning of a
battle that will last weeks, perhaps
months, but it is also hoped and be-
lieved that it's effects will be nj pro-
portion to the extraordinary care and
vast scale on which 1t has been pre-
pared.
The first part of the program has
been carried out with complete success
and in a way which augurS well for its
t,r1 Ia % OF
the map is sufficient to show the i'm
portance of the operations now under
way What has been effected fully jus
titles the German apprehenSlonS and the
French jubilations. French military oo-
servers saw it Is not too much to hope
that the Germans may soon be cleared
out of French and Belgian Flanders IL
things continue to go as well as they
did yesterday.
Consolidate Positions.
After the magnificent success Of the
French and British in Belgium yester-
day saws the official statement issued
TO-DAY by the French war department,
the entente troops in torrentlal rain
storm consolidated the positions which
they had captured
rations the Germans this morning at
tackled the positions on the left pank
.of tho Neuse river in the Verdun region
bich
them on rrly II. The French official
statement says the Germans were only
able to reach certain advanced elements
of the French first line. where they were
stopped.
Germans Are Repulsed.
LONDON, August German counter
,ttacks Yesterday afternoon and last
night against the new British positions
at La Bassee Willie and north of the
canal. in Belgium, were
repulsed. says the official
statement issued today by the British
war office.
Another German counter attack
further north in the neighborhod of the
railway was crushed by
the British artillery. Heavy rain has
been falling since early yesterday after
noon the statement adds. and the
weather continues unfavorable for op-
erationS.
The official statement from British
bea1ouarters in France last night re-
norted the capture by the entente allies
Of the following villages: La Bassee
Vile. Steenstraete, Bixschoote. Nerlor
enhoek. Fraenberg. Saint Julien. Pilken.
Heore Westhoek and Hollebeke and
more than $500 prisoners. 4
Great Natural Difficulties.