Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-31
Scarpe Bombardment Pre-
sages Assault, While Quiet
Indicates Preparation.
GERMANS BRINGING HEAVY
GUNS TO INFANTRY's AID
British, Too, Getting Ready to Com
bat Anticipated Assault by
Huns; Plan Wedge.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
WITH THE BRITISH ARMY IN
FRANCE, March 30.-The wheels of the
war mill continued to turn slowly on
the British battle front today, although
there are many indications that intense
speeding up may come at any moment.
Just south of the Scarpe, near Arras,
the enemy late this forenoon began
bombardment which might easily pres
age another assault on that city. It
is written in the books that such an
attack will come, but up to the latest
reports there has been no infantry
action. Further south on the British
right there was hard local fighting
about Mezieres and Demuin, which
was continuance of yesterdays
struggle, but tho most important action
seemed to be taking place on the
French left, where it was reported
the Germans were pursuing their vari-
GUS attacks.
Along the rest Of the battle front
comparative inactivity continued, so
This, then. was the status of affairs
on the tenth day OF the battle. aIads
while no one can foresee what trend
such vast operations will take. there
lowing Interpretation OF the situation:
Cessation in North.
For two days past there has been a
cessation along the major portion Of
the northern front of the bitter war
fare waged at the outset. 'Undoubted-
ly this 10 in accordance with the Ger
. sr~,ya rxrst tNI I<,a< <r,p
the enemy to proceed further without
pausing to bring forward his support
ing artillery, reorganize his fighting
forces and establish communications.
These things now are being accom-
the operations is the question Of time.
In this, as in any other offensive, de-
lay gives relatively greater advantage
to the defense than to the aggressors,
because the defense may be assumed to
have better communications. For this
reason the enemy must press his attack
quickly
The crucial sector, which in the OPEN
ing days of the battle lay in the vicin-
ity of Albert, which the Germans hoped
to use as a gateway to westward ad-
vance, now appears to have dropped to
the zone below the Somme. This is due
to two reasons. In the first place, the
front undoubtedly upset the schedule
and plans of the German command.
Finding their progress here too slow,
the Germans turned their attention to
the southern sector. where they had
continued their successes
French Worry Huns.
In the second place. the entrance of
the French into the battle also raised
a large problem for the enemy and
gave the Germans further reason for
pushing hard below the Somme, in or
der to divide the allied armies if pos
sible. The probabilities are that the
Germans will continue to exploit their
successes on the south. The extension
of the front of attack undoubtedly is
due to the terrain, which is restricted
by the marshy valleys of the Avre and
the Somme.
What the enemy's ultimate objective
might be, if he should succeed in driv-
ing his wedge between the two armies
is a matter Of speculation, but it is not
unrea sonable to assume that he would
proceed to the northwest through Am
lens and thence to the sea. On the ex-
treme north the Germans probably will
press their attack against Arras, for
they not only desire possession of this
city with it's railway facilities, but wish
to broaden the salient they have driven
in the British line.