The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1918-04-05
H|N0ENBURG IS A
POOR PROPHET
FAILS TO MAKE GOOD HIS BOAST
THAT HE WOULD BE IN
PARIS BY APRIL I.
1t Is Now Only Question of Time Until
Allies viii Be Able to Build Up
Sufficient Force to Strike
Deciding Blow.

Washington.-The boast of Won Hin
denburg that he would be in Paris
by April / has proven an empty one.
The bravery and stubborn fighting OF
the allied forces has prevented the
representative of pitiless Prussial
power from fulfilling his prophecy.
Although the German gains in ten
days have been such as to dismay the
average observers, they should take
heatr Of hope from the testimony OF
General Bell before the military af-
fairs committee of the senate. The
general stated that while he was III
France he had been confidently ac-
quainted with the allied plans and
that these included a retreat in case Of
full-fledged German offensive. The
plan was to retire, exacting the
heaviest possible toll from the enemy,
and at length to rest on some strong
line.
Even though we assume that the al
lies have fallen back Il greater dis
tance tnan they intended, this need
not discourage US. The Huns have
concentrated all their fury in this one
stroke. If 1t does not attain its OBJ
jective we shall have positive proof
that even with Russia out of the war
| the allies are able to withstand the
heaviest assaults of the foe. 1t will
then become merely Il question Of time
when the allies will be able to build up
u sufficiently superior man and ma
terial power to strike the deciding
blows.
The German kaiser in bombastic
language, boosted of what had been
achieved but showed his own doubts
and fears when he again called upon
his people to stand firm. His armies
, had lost about 100000 men in ten days
and, by implication, he was urging his
people to face intrepidly an equal or
. greater loss within the next ten days
or two weeks He was able to point
out that 1900 guns and $4,000 pris-
oners had been captured, but he could
) not tell his people what they most
+ longed to hear-that the allied line had
been definitely broken in twain. That
would have done more to hearten them
than the boasts about prisoners, guns
: and materials.
The situation continues grave be-
cause the German pressure has not
lightened, but the allies seem to have
plenty of reserves. The American
army of several hundred thousand
has been offered by General Pershing
to General Foch and has not yet been
used. The only Americans who appear
to have been engaged are ammunition
carriers, hospital men, engineers and
observers. The engineers probably as
sisted in destroying the railroads, We
& hecle roads and bridges.
In the retreat the British carried off
most of their big guns, which have
not yet been re-emplaced. Their ar
tillery men performed prodigies in
serving the field guns and howitzers
Frequently German attacks We're
broken up before they had been or.
: ganized sufficiently to approach ma
chine gun and rifle fire.
The French entered the battle just
two days after the enemy had begun
: the drive. 1t was necessary for then
/, to hold the line near La Fere. They
fell back somewhat from that fortress
and swept out III II curve to the south
westward as the Germans pushed for
j ward Soon their line was at righ
:. angles with La Fere and ran pas
Noyon to the west. For some days tht
French held the line of the Disc ant
q even now have not been forced bacl
far from the river. Gradually the,
were able to mass their reserves so ~
to keep the enemy from making /
breach between the French and Brit
sh armies. A week after the com
mencement Of the battle they had suf
ficient reserves to take the offensive
This was not general offensive. l
was drive ON front of six OF sever
miles between Lassigny and Noyol
and its purpose was to relieve tn
pressure which the enemy was bring
ing against the French forces occupy
ing the heights in the Montdidier SEE
tor. The results of these operation
seem to have inspired the allies wit
confidence that the two armies wi
not be separated.