The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-07-31
CONSERVATION IN GERMANY.
STAGGERING BLOW BY ALLIES
ALARM PEOPLE.
Military Critics Take I'ressImistic
View Of SituatiOn-Arrival of Amer
leans I'm Force Allies Conditions.

Amsterdam. July 2e.-The impress
sion that the Franco-American coun-
ter-offensive has made on the Ger
mans at home and perhaps best illus
trated by an article written by Deputy
Traub of the PrussiaM lower house In
the Pan-German newspaper, The
Tageliche Runschau. Traub fiercely
lashes the crOakers who dare doubt
the official headquarters reports of
victory"
He makes a desperate appeal for
more nerve" and more faith" and
busters thus:
IF der Alte Fritz (Frederick the
Great) walked the streets today and
saw the peoples long faces he would
say: Remember the seven years war
when fortune was often dead against
us. Why grumble because affairs on
the Marine are not going as well as ex-
pected? Devil take you. You ought
to be ashamed of yourselves"
The German military commentators
have begun complimenting the allied
commander. General Foch. now that
they are no longer able to conceal his
success from the German public The
Vossische Zeitung of Berlin, for in
stance, refers to him repeatedly as an
able leader" while General Won Ar
denne in The Tageblatt frankly admits
that the shortening of the German
line had become necessary as the re-
suit of the French generalissimo O s.
"impetuous counterCffensive."
1t Is noticeable also that all the
German newspapers speak of the re-
cent operations as defensive bat
tle." And General Won Ardenne cred
Its General Foch with q plan to ex-
tend his line northward with tho OBJ
ject OF attacking the crown princes
army In the rear as we'll as on the
flank. This coupled with the difficult
zigzag formation of the German lines,
where the fighting is proceeding in the
WOODEN wilderness to the southwest
or Rheims, he says, makes a concen-
tration of the German forces advis-
able. Tho commentator goes on at
length to explain to his German read
ers that this means nothing serious
and IL any ground is yielded. 1t Is Of
course eRemy ground
In Vorwaerts Col. Richard Gaedke
PeyS @ houOoOhc tTiDutc 10 GeneTal
Foch for profiting by past experiences
and gaining his end by launching
flank attack. HE succeeded" Colonel
Gaedke says, and he adds what for a
German Is an astounding admission
mainly because the armed assistance
OF the Americans proved effective"
Tonnage and measures of safety a.
sea seem to have been provided in
sufficient measure for. the bringing OF
hundreds OF thousands of Americans
across the ocean," continues this
writer. 'They have rapidly assimilat-
ed the art Of war. FOR war is a quick
and thorough trainer"
1t Is incorrect to regard Foch's un-
dertaking only as a measure for re-
lieving his front under the German
pressure, Colonel Gaedke adds. It was
rather, he declared, we'll prepared
bid for regaining his freedom of ac-
ton. The writer, however, maintains
that after the initial success. the
course of Foch's onslaught was spen;
on the third day and that since that
time he has made no further progress
In his dash for scissors. Thus ne con
siders that General Foch's counter
offensive has brought about no radica
change in the situation and remains q
mere interlude in the great drama.
THE day has been quieter on the
battle front" says the official state
ment Issued by general headquarters
this evening.