Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-07-18
HUN BLOW SPENT;
CRISIS IS PAST,
WASHINGTON SAYS
Much Heralded Big Offensive Has
Degenerated Into Local Action
on 20 Mile Front.
GERMAN FLANK IN DANGER

Washington. July While Of
fetal reports from Generals Pershing
and Bliss were too belated to permit
formal conclusions to be drawn last night
bv military authorities here as to the
situation along the front where the Ger
man offensive was still beating against
American French and Italian defenders,
it was clear that they read press advices
as indicating that the crisis was past
and the encmv's plans frustrated.
Secretary Baker would not express an
opinion today as to what was TO be ex-
pectcd in France. General March, chief
of staff. was equally reticent and de-
fcrrcd a mid-week conference with news
paper correspondents on the ground that
his official advices would not permit
him To go very far toward making clear
10 his hearers just what is occurring at
the front.
SILENT BUT SATISFIED.
Apparently, both Generals Pcrshlng
and Bliss are observing great caution
in formulating their reports. They
have studiously avoided over-optInistic
statements from the first, and 1T rs I'M
dcrstood that their reports, which have
not been made public, have been con
fined strictly TO the facts ot the great
attibf tiitt law b'NiA N-NN't
beyond question IN every case. war
Department officials follow the same
practice. Among officials generally, how
ever. IT was obvious that the battle was
regarded rs moro than half won
As press accounts and the brIel Of
ficIal communloucs from Paris and
Berlin have so far disclosed the situa-
ton. the great thrust. starting over a
sween of more than sixty miles, has
been narrowed down in three days OF
fighting Ia only one active sector. where
the enemy still was moving SluggIShiy
At last report Sharp counter assaults
hv Franco American forces in this sec
tor indicated. il was thought. that still
further restriction Of The active Inc was
to be expected
PURELY LOCAL ACTION
In effect. officers said. agreeing with
the views expressed both IN France and
London today. the great offensive al
ready has dcCcncratcd into purely
local action on n front OF less than TWEEN
II miles. This sector lies between
tho point just east OF the original Ameri-
can positions on the Marine m the laul-
ronnc sector 10 the wooded region west
Of Rheims II Is possible that the activity
on the German left, in these woods
will result IN Il thanking operation at
Rheims itself hut officers here were
not inclined To think So. To most OBJ
servers the centre of interest was the
twelve-milc stretch on the south bank
of the Marine which tho enemy holds. and
his thrust down the rver valley toward
Zigreny.
MADE ON FoUR-MILE ADV ANCE.
Even here, however, the Germans
have been able to force their way only
some four miles beyond the river Inc
al the point of deepest penetration and
their crossings, upon which the main
tenance Of the forward lines and the
continuance Of the push down the val
lev depends, were reported TO to under
direct artillery fire At best their prog
reSs was painfully slow. Ii was pointed
out. in an action where some twenty
picked divisions Of storm troops fresh
from a month Of rest and special tram
ING were known definitely TO have been
engaged and many of them badly shat
tered.
Aside from the possibility that later
advices would show that the German
war machine had been got into motion
after having been begged down by the
.iercest resistance OF tho French and
allied troopS. officers looked with par
ticular attention at every hopeful pros
pect of a counter-stroke which they be-
heved might have important results.
ENEMY 5 HAZARDOUS POSITION.
Il was still indicated by yesterday re
ports that the Germans who have cross
ed the river stand with both TANKS
exposed with their communication
lines seriously menaced The twelve
mile stretch of the south bank OF the
river the enemy holds was not regarded
as wide enough to protect the flow Of
supply and ammunition trains and OF re-
placement divisions TO the front. Mod
ern gun ranges and the increasing Ell
fectlveness of aircraft. II was said, made
any salient depend upon SO narrow a
irase a dangerous one. II was relieved
that unless the Germans could widen
their positions they will lie compelled 10
fall back To the river or face the pOsssl-
bility Of helng trapped rs the Austrians
were on the Pave.
The extent Of anv cOunter1novement
that might be launched would depend
wholly upon General Foch s available
reserves and upon his own campaign
plans It Is regarded as certain, how
ever. that ne would not overlook an op-
portunitv 10 anmhliate an enemyd div
SION or two. possibly the bulk Of Cen
eral Won Boehm : army, even # the time