New-York tribune., 1918-03-28
Every Day Enemy Is Held
Increases British Ad-
vantage
Foe Wearing Down;
Transport Congested
Battle Not Over, but Re-
serves Are Expected to
Turn the Tide

LONDON, March 27.-There have
bepn two critical moments thus far in
the battle raging in France. Major Gen
eral Frederick B. Maurice, chief di-
rector Of military operations at the
War Office, said in an interview to-day
with The Associated Press.
The FIRST was on Saturday, when
the enemy got across the Tortille River
and nearly reached the line on the
Somme," General Maurice declared
The second was on Monday, when he
took Courcelette, and a similar danger
of breach was present.
zone remarkable feature of the whole
battle has been the work of the Allied
airmen," said General Maurice. Last
night we dropped twenty-five and one
half tons of bombs on enemy reserves
around Peronne and Bapaume. During
the day the low-fying machines op
! Grated constantly and almost without
interference on the part of the enemy
from the air. With their machine guns
they inflicted heavy losses on the en-
preparations.
Time Advantage Favors Allies
"The opposing forces on the whole
front are as nearly equal as possible"
the general said. "The enemy, being
on the offensive, gets his reserves on
the scene first. What we require is
time to get up our forces to the right
place. Every day the enemy is held is
a tremendous advantage to us.
"The battle is far from over, and l
would not like to say we are not likely
to be faced with another crisis, but
time is on our side. The enemy is get
ting further from his rail heads, and
.he area behind tae line is getting more
congested. His supply of men also is
wearing down. Thus far the Germans
have kept their troops in echelon,
throwing in fresh men from the rear
echelons as fast as the front line is
exhausted. Meanwhile the men carry
full equipment and exist on iron ra-
tions. This process of handling troops
is now growing difficult, and mean
while Anglo-French reserves are get
ting nearer the battlefront.
The situation to-day is less critical
than it has been in the last few days"
Allied Reserves Coming Up
General Maurice laid a map Of the
Western front on the table in his quar-
ters while making his customary verbal
statement to-day, blue line represent
ing the front as outlined in last nights
communique, while bright green line
showed the line at l o'clock this after
"'Phe The changes to-day included slight
enemy advances along the Somme. both
north and ssuth of the river, and a
similar enemy push further south
around Erches and l'EchelleSt. Aurin.
During the night" continued Cen
eral Maurice, "the enemy attacked just
north of the Somme and drove us back
to Mericourt and Sally, but fresh AL
lied troops arrived on the scene this
morning and counter attacked, regain
ing considerable part of the gr>und
the Germans had taken. On the re-
mainder Of the northern part of the
front the line remains steady.
For the time being the enemy is
definitely checked north of the Somme.
The fighting in this district has been
very severe and the enemy troops are
exhausted.
North OF Albert an attack may be
expected momentarily, as German re-
serves have been seen massing.
"The enemy is now in Albert, while,
the British line holds the railway en-
bankment on the western outskirts.
South of the Somme attacks in the
Roye and Noyon areas are expected to
be renewed, but French reserves are
1pproarhIpp ~