Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-04-03
GERMANS DECLINE
CONTINUED from eAoe Onel

the Germans and making them pay
an unheard Of price for. every foot al
ground gained, their serves have
been conserved with the utmost care
behind the lines for the fitful time
when the whitening firdsof the allied
guns ana machine guns should have
SO blighted the German hordeS as to
bring more equality in strength Ia
the fighting forces. And. all along.
the Britt ;h and French commanders
have not left outside their calcula-
tons that staunch band of Ameri-
cans.~eXceeding 10000 men, who are
fully trained and equipped and anx-
ious to lend their aid in the task of
defeating the Germans.
Daily the German losses in men
killed or wounded continue to aug
ment as details are obtained from
Germans made prisoner. Some d.
visions lost as high as 20 per cent OF
their effectiveness as they charged in
mass formation against the BEtish
and French machine gunners and
riflemen. Companies withdrew from
the fighting with their combative
strength reduced to 40 men. ~
The latest accounts of the lighting
from the various war chaneelkres snow
no important new change in - battle
front. Only minor operations took place
on that portion Of the front south OF
Arras held by. the British, and little
aside. from artillery duslss occurrsd be-
tween the French and tiies Gernians OF,
the lower end of the line. The fighting
between the big guns was particularly
heavy between Montdidier5 and Noyon,
where the battle line bends eastward
and which is a danger sD1s OF great
Importance to the Germans, the break
ing through of which by the French
woald necessitate a rapid wtfhdrawal
of the Germans eastwafds frem the
Amiens sector. lr
Although the Germans have been
bombarling British positions in Bel
GUM, particularly at Passachendail,
there is no indication as yet that an in
fantry attack is Contemplated.
In addition to CONTINUATION Of their
bombardment of Paris With lone range
gun. the Germans agaJh haY endeavs
ored to drop bombs on ke h - cap
ital from airplanes TS06 sod bds. Of
aircraft early Tuesday, mofu6ig .at-
tempted to reach Paris, but. tho French
barrage held them OFT. So, ~.
Bad weather again is hhdertHg OPERA
tons in the Italian theatre but, Heyer-
theless there has been. yQnsidera be pa :
troll activity in the noun9 nia1Sgion and
artillery duels of some v.bi.iQ6 soyer the
whole front from Lake (;afaE' TO the
Adriatic. At several poiifA in The m9uns
tains Austro-German tteops erdeavorei
to gain advantages over the Italians
but were successfully driven back. v
In Palestine the British forces which
penetrated Turkish territory Northeast
of Jericho have successfully carried out
their objective in cutting the sfIediaz
Railway and now have begun to retire
toward t,s-Salt. A large number OF ad-
ditional prisoners and guns. and ma
chine guns and other war stores have
been taken by the British.
Armenian and Georgian, inhabitants of
the three Caucasus districts turned ever
to Turkey in accordance with the recent
peace treaty between Russia and the
Central Powers have formed an ARM
to defendrthemselves against the Turks
who have begun the military occupation
OF Batum, kars and Ardahar