French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1916-1919, 1918-04-04
Great German Drive Slowed Up
and Allied Counter Thrust
Seems at Hand.
"'a.=t;1kssSSE -
AHIENS The HUNS OBJECTIVE
British Speedily Check Diversion At
tack on Arras-French Stubbornly
Hold Line on Oise-Americans
Acquit Themselves WeIi-Uk-
rainians and BoIsheViki Re-
capture Odessa.
BY EDWARD w. PfcKARD.

Another week of the blOOdieSt kind
Of fighting failed to bring to the Ger
mans the real victory on which they
had so confidently counted. fOS though
the British and French armies had
been forced to yield further territory,
their lines were unbrOken and their
spirits undaunted. As the German mil
fairy authorities. General Ardehne,
SAYS, it is not the capture of territory
that can bring a decision, but only a
victory Over and through the Shatter-
ing of the enemy's armies. So far from
being shattered, the allied forces,
weary and battered as they are, are
full of confidence, and MS this is writ
ten are but awaiting the OppOrtune
moment to strike back with the big
arm of maneuver which was placed
at the disposal of the supreme war
council.
AmipnS, a most important link in
the British line of. communications,
appeared to be the real objective of
the Germans, and they were able dur
I'm" the week to push forward toward
that city. along the line of the SOmme,
a. far rs Hamef, and a little farther
north they took Albert and were hold
inc it against fierce cOunter-attackS by
the British. To the south they had
pushed Il salient forward 4 little be-
yond MontdidiPr, but there the French
came back at them With such elan that
they were checked and lost several
commanding positions. East of this
sector the French troops held stub
hornly to their lines along the Disc and
on Thursday attacked daShingly south
Of Noy0n and drove the enemy back
two miles at the point of the bayOnet.
It Was along this east and west base
Of the German salient that the allied
world expected the great counter
thrust Of the army of maneuver to be
made. Any considerable advance to
the north there it was pointed out,
would force the Germans to draw back
to save their lines of communication,
which already are so badly stretched
out that they have great difficulty in
bringing up artillery and food.
What looked like a diversion rath-
er than a serious threat was the al
tack of the Huns in the middle Of the
week at the northern extremity of the
line Of b@$tle toward Arras. There
the British, after giving some ground,
repulSPd the enemy with. terrible
slaughter. Presumably this thrust at
AFfaS was made to keep the British
from sending men and guns to the &C.
Tor where their lines join those Of
tHe French, but 1t was so quickly
blocked that it failed of its. purpose.
extraordinarily bold and successful
was the work of the British and
french aviatOrS. In their lOw-hy1ng
oattie planes they flew in swarms con-
'~Lnu0uSly over the ~battIef1elds and back
VI the German lines, playing havoc
win the enemy's transports and In
AnctIhS heavy casualties I'm his re-
serves. Battles In the air were innu.
meraDie, but the allied airmen main
Htned the upper hand always. The
orulIefymen also distinguished them
SeIFeS' sticking to their firing to the
last moment and usually saving their
guns when forced to fall back.
Oh the whole, the DEVELOPMENTS of
oe week were such as to restore con
noence among the allies, for though
ue situation was still critical. 1t SEEM
~ "lat Premier Clemenceau was right
N"eh ne said that whatever might hap
nn III the next few days. the enemy
U"ula not win the path to the sea nor
Tile path 20 Paris.
r. "a
bus what part the American troops
nave neen playing in the Somme battle