Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-05-31
u. s. ARMY EXPERTS
SEE CHECK OF FOE
BEFORE MORE GAINS
WASHINGTON REALIZES GRAVITY
or SITUATION BUT EXPRESSES
CONFIDENCE FoCH WILL STOP
oNRUSHIN6 GERMANS. :.

Washington. May 3l-Washingto1
recognizes the battle situation as
grave. but there is confidence in OIL
cial and diplomatic circles
The President spent most Of yester-
day at Memorial exercises and at the
LAYING of the first Potomac built ships
keel ut AleAaldria. lie was never
theIess kept closely informed OF the
latest developments. Officials de
scribe his manner as confident
Secretary Baker read through the
battle bulletins without comment.
Il is up to the supreme command
he said when questioned
I American officers who have hoe1
studying the battle maps are frankly
worried at the obvious advantages on
the side of the Germans They are
treasured by the French and British
soldiers who say: "Weye won
through worse fixes before. With
your help wen do it again"
Recall DARK DAYS or 1914.
But it is admitted that for prece-
dent to existing conditions one must
20 back TO the dark days OF 1914,
when the Germans first hurled them
selves to the Marne
1t cannot be blnked AT that the Ger
mani have bitten off more territory
in the present operation than they
gained in the whole Flanders often.
siye Of month ago A grizzled
American major general explained
this as foll0wh:
1T is the old boys game Of bull in
the ring. The Germans are the bull and
they are bigger and stronger than all
of the boys holding hands around him
put together. But to win, he has got
to break through. 1t does not matter
how the line may bulge and sag before
hih furious charges, so long as il does
not break Even the strongest bull
under the rules of the game eventual
~ will get tired and drop and all
hands will jump in and pile onto him.
THE battle situation bears out this
analogy in many ways The German,
| like the bull can choose his point Of
ATTACK He can vary it swiftly for he
is in the center Of the circle. The
boys on the outside. the allies, cannot
send help from one end of the line 10
the other for fear the bull may sud
emily shift They can only hold on.
New Boy Coming In.
"And in this game there is a big,
4 trong, new boy coming into the line.
He is the United States. And his
presence is going to be felt. Outside
of that everything works in favor OF
the Germans
! This Is the explanation OF the "thil"
allied line referred to in all the dis
patches. The present drive is regard
ed as first of all the supreme test OF
the judgment OF General Each
With all the elements of size and
position against him, he must so dis
pose Of his relatively meager forces
as to prevent break Ii will be III
to him TO say whether il is wise t.
move the British reserves from il
front Of the channel ports to The
threatened territory between Rheimei
and Paris 1t is in this sense tina
Secretary Baker says. 1T is up t
the supreme command
Good News From England
fortunately good news came from
England today. The British will un
hesitatingly obey the word of thu
Supreme command Furthermore
most satisfactory progress is heinl
made IN calling up the new levies il
England authorized by the extension
Of conscripton to men of 80 years o
age.
Thousands of older men are beini
modified and are taking the places il
the home training camps of younge
men, which are being poured acros
the channel
Secretary Baker said the rate o
shipment of American troops, whicI
reached its maximum some week
ago, is being steadily maintained. II'
refused to give figures.