New-York tribune., 1918-06-11
The Great 14O8th Day

He would then form a similar sal
lent, and from the tip of this salient
swing again to the East, enveloping
the Allied troops within the first
salient and thus, with Allied forces
French, American and English
with the eastern salient momentarily
paralyzed and useless, German
troops could strike rapidly down the
valley of the Marine toward the cap
ital.
Denser Masses Than Ever
1t is desperate strategy, which is
only parallel to the reckless waste
of enemy effectives.
Details now available show that
the German waves came on in denser
masses than ever before, hoping to
crush all resistance. The latest
reports received from the battle
line show that the enemy paid an
enormous price for the smallest
gains, and is now locked with the
French forces, who are fighting with
the valor of supermen.
From the moment the German
masses were hurled against the line
the French artillery, firing with per-
feet range, began to belch death and
destruction. Even this, under the
German mass play system. failed to
dishearten Hindenburg's shock divi-
sions, whose waves surged over their
own piles of dead into hand-to-nand
conflicts with the poilus.
These enemy divisions fought and
are still fighting with desperation,
but, completely unlike under former
attacks, the Allied line is holding
pra ,tically intact, considering the
rules IF open warfare.
1t must be considered that repuls-
ing mass attacks on what is known
in trench warfare as the first line
is impossible. The first lines in this
new open fighting are merely a
series of advance posts and small or
ganized position of defence, which
the enemy must overcome before
reaching the real line of resistance
further back.
At the moment yesterday morn
ing's attack proved to be another
mass offensive, these advance posi-
tions were abandoned by the French,
who took up their stand on the main
positions in the rear. French bat
teries, which had previously regis
tered fire on every yard of ground
between the forward and rear posi-
tion, dealt harshly with the oncom-
ing waves.
The first twenty hours of fighting
found the French on the main line
of resistance, with the exception of
one point in the centre, where the
density of the assault, though &C
companied by murderous losses to
the enemy, bent the defence back to
the village of Resson-sur- -Matz,
where extremely heavy fighting con-
tinues
Long Battle Expected
The battle will doubtless continue
for days with fierceness not yet
eXcelled since Verdun. The French
reserves are within striking distance
and will play their part. The faster
Hindenburg wastes his armies
against the constantly growing
Allied forces, growing by reason of
tie rapid influx Of Americans, the
quicker will come the day of great
retribution. The greater his mass
attacks the greater his losses.
The battle now raging is strug-
gle of man power. Even Hinden.
burg must know which side holds
the balance of worlds man power.
With the drive between Scissors
and Rheims hardly stabilized, Hin
denhurg, with the desperation of 6
tiger in a burning cage, has again
launched massed waves Of German
shock troops against the French line
in new sector.
According to the best informa
ton, the German high command has
at it's disposition about fifty fresh
divisions for this new drive, which
roughly is forty-six kilometres ir
width
Exactly the same methods devel
oped III previous attacks were en-
ployed-a four-hour artillery prepa
ration, including a profusion of gas
beginning at midnight, then the
movement of infantry forward at 4
a. m.
The element of surprise in the bis
drives in Flanders and hatuoo,, Co;.