The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-02-14

OF BEGINNING
OF OFFENSIVE
ARE LACKING
Germans Appear Ready for Much
/ Advertised Drive, but Loath
to Make the Start
HAVE THE MOST MEN
statisticians Give Advantage to
French, British, Americans
and ,Belgians.
ASSOCIATED PRESS)


Although under the good weather
the Terrain in France and Belgium
is fast drying out and the Teutonic
allies are continuing to pour thous-
ands Of troops to positions behind the
battle line, there still has been no in
dication that the enemy is ready to
begin his much advertised offensive
Bombardments and patrol encounters
along the entire front are still taking
place as for many days past, but the
roar Of the big guns nowhere has
reached that volume OF drumfire which
in the past always has heralded an in
fantry attack Of great proportions.
While the German reinforcements
have been coming up the entente COM
manders have not been lying idle and
waiting for the offensive to begin. On
the other hand they everywhere have
strengthened their positions to met
any emergency, and optimism is ex-
pressed both from British and French
sources that should the Germans
strike-no matter how early the mo-
ment-they will meet with most stub.
born resistance from gun and man
power.
Allies Have the Most Men
The Associated Press correspondent
with the French headquarters says
the French authorities consider that
the total number Of the enemy now
facing the French, British, American
and Belgium troops or held in reserve
aggregates 100000 men. Recent
statements from the British military
authorities in Great Britain have been
to the effect that the proponderancc
Of weight in both man and gun power
still lies with the entente armies.
Several additional successful raids
by the British, in which German Of
ers killed, and heavy artillery fighting
between the French and the Germans
On various sectors sums up the &C.
tivities that have been in progress
on the western front. The American
sharpshooters and artillery men are
keeping up their good work against
the Germans in front Of their positions
having with their shrapnel fire CON-
PEELED the enemy to almost abandon
first line trenches and with their
sharpshooters and rapid fire guns
forced snipers to quit their posts and
seek safety at other places. Mean
while German airplanes are still flying
over the American positions in an en-
deavor to obtain information as to the
number of men there and how they
are ranged. -....... ....
Hun Tactics Used. ....
While the Austrians at last accounts
were still trying out the Italian lines
on, the Settle Communi and at other
points, and meeting with sanguinary
defeat for their pains, behind the
fighting lines they and the Germans
are playing the role of vandals, using
violence against the natives, pillaging
their homes and stores and sending
back to their own countries foodstuffs
and other spoils Even women and
children are being brutally treated by
the troops. ...
Enemy submarines last week were
unusually busy. Nineteen British mer-
,chantmen and four Italian were sent
to the bottom during the period, and
in addition another Spanish steamer,
the Catherine, was sunk The feeling
in Spain against Germany for the rec
ent destruction of two other Spanish
vessels has been great and doubtless
the Spanish government will send an
other strong protest to Berlin