Omaha daily bee., 1917-04-02
GERMANS GATHER
EVERY RESOURCE
FOR BLOW At FOE
Supreme Military Effort Ap-
parently to Be Made Thi
Year Under Won Hi1az
burg's Directi6
GET MEN E6} " RIAL
Every Availa aghter Being
Taken InW Ranks of
Army.
PLANS KEPT CONCEALED

Germany, according to information
reaching here from Berlin, now is
gathering to the colors every avail
able man for supreme military eff
fort to bring the war to victorious
conclusion in this years campaign
a goal which Field Marshal Won Hin
denburg and his advisers consider by
no means impossible to attain.
Without altering formally the law
of military service the German au-
thorities have in practice extended
the period of service beyond the for
ty-hfth year, and are retaining with
the colors and in many instances for
fighting duty with active units in the
front line, landsturm men who have
passed this age.
Hold Men in Service.
The policy of the German war de-
partment, as stated in the Reiehstag
this week by military representa-
tive, is to withdraw those men over IS
from the front line after they have
done six months of duty there, but
military exigencies compel the hold
ing of these over-age men for service
in the so-called etape or region be-
hind the actual fighting front.
For some time the German authori-
ties in grand combing out OF men
earlier pronounced unfit for service,
have been mastering men on the
verge of the age limit, but up to the
present they have announced that
the necessity has not yet arisen for
legislation raising the age limit to Is,
as has been done in Austria Hungary.
The operations of the labor service
law, now in full swing, are further re-
leasing for service at the front every
available man behind the lines capable
of carrying rifle, so that the next two
or three months should see the Ger
man armies at their maximum size.
Usirg All Factories.
Simultaneously with this draining to
the dregs of human reservoirs of SOL
diers' material, Germany's industrial
mobilization also is approaching a eli
max. "A scheme forsconyertirig every
available factory and employing every
available machine on war work and
manning them with labor obtained un-
der the labor service law is contem-
plated.
The secret of Field Marshal Won
Hindenburgs plan of the 1917. cam
paign still is well kept. 1t is uncertain
whether the offensive will be directed
in the east or in the west and the Ger
mans strategic reserve, at last ac-
counts still within Germany, has not
begun to move in either direction.
The German main headquarters, ac- ,
cording to reports received here, now
is established at Kreuznach- h-on-the-
Rhine; the general staff headquarters
at Charleville and Mezieres, twin
French towns, where Emperor Will
iam's military capital was located for
almost two years until Won linden
burg,s appointment to the chief COM
mand, having been abandoned shortly !
before the Somme retirement.
Southern Thrust Possible.
This change in headquarters per-
haps may throw some light OH Won
Hindenburg's plans as the new choice,
while centrally located as regards the
whole western front, is better situated
for control of operations along the
southern sector of that front than was
the former site.
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 a great open
held engagement in that particular
part of the front, but to avoid the i'm
pending onslaught by the mighty
array of Anglo-French artillery
massed on that section and to delay
a renewal of an Anglo French often
slve by the time required to advance
the big guns to the new line.
Great Battle Obviated.
The Teuton commanders are said to
no longer be concerned with the pos
slbility of a great battle between
Arras and the Aisne because of the
destruction of roads.
There is reason to believe that the
retirement has by no means reached
its limit, particularly in the southern
sector. The map of the retirement
now appearing in the German news
papers shows big salient still exist
ing westward of Laon, which, if
Strengthened out, would make the Won
Hindenburg line run in almost
straight course from Arras through
St Quentin and Laon to a point on
the Aisne near Berry-Au-Bac.
FInrnncp MiII nea . n