The Washington herald., 1918-04-13

Race 20 Ses.
The great race promises to be q
stcond race TO the sea" Ralleiul,
the great strategic rBilhead seven
miles northwest q AtrRsntIsres on
the rails to DUukiEi. AND CALAIS. Is
in immediate peril OF being out
fianked. So is Bethune, another
great Tailhead and way-station 70
the sea. Powerful German forces
are pressing hard northwestward
north OF the Lys.
But the British tanks in Flanders
are still holding. Messlnes Ridge,
on the left. and the Givenchy sec
tor, in right, are still theirs. A.
at Amiens, the Teuton is pushing
ahead in the center. but is blocked
on the tanks. As at Amiens. he must
break that strangIe-hoId on his
sides. or stop in the centre.
Meanwhile new battle siEns are
naring UP on both sides OF the
Somme, before Amiens.
Menace In Palestine.
The German reinforcements 10 the
aid Of the hard-pressed Turks IN Pal
estine. mentioned by Premier Lloyd
George in his speech on the man
power bill, are making their presence
felt and a combined Turco-German
counter offensive against the British
in that distant thester appears in the
making.
Turco-German forces. the war office
announces, assumed the offensive IN
the coast sector. Their initial onrush
made some inroads into the British
lines. but Allenby's troops launched
vigorous counter attacks and restored
their original positions. This was last
Wednesday. On the following day the
British themselves took the sCEres-
sive and drove the Turks TO flight on
the east bank OF the Jordan.
With the same grave frankness,
the people at home were informed
officially late today that Britain
and the world's-fate hangs in the
balance on the Flanders battlefield.
"A definite crisis has again hccn
reached, and the situation undouhtcd-
ly is not pleasant" Mai. Gen. Nau-
rice. spokesman Of the war once de-
clared. The enemy Is a short DIS
tance from Bailleuil, which is an ~
portant railway center"
Await Reserves.
Upon the prompt arrival OF strong
ANlANh ANStA We WHICH, lldlk AOlQ nus
troops in his order OF the day. are
rapidly approaching the field OF bat
tie, depends the immediate fate Of
the British front from Arras TO
Nypres. ominoUsly shaken by the far
flung German salients north and south
OF the Lys, and the ultimate fate or
the entire British army from Amiens
TO the sea.
Haig's troops are battling like lions
taking a terrible toll OF blood from
the foe for every yard they WELD
But they are overwhelmingly outnum-
bered and some OF their vital points
Of support are either cnveloped or %,
danger Of being oUtflanked. Anon
the latter is the famous wytschael-
ridge. At last accounts the British
were still firmly planted on this
bloody range after IL had changed
hands again and again. But late to-
day the situation turned grave as the
Germans were reported pushing Uu
both TO the north and south IIolIe-
beke and Hill Go, with the whole
Nypres area. are similarly mCuaCed.
Immediate reinforcements are, need
ed as sorely as in no previous battle
OF this war. The French are Oh the
march. and until they arrive IaI-
! means TO hold, cost what il may.
Hindenburg. once again racing aGsiugt
time, Is hurting his divisions into the
fray with a reckless prodiuaHty u-
I precedented even in his career Of
blood-waste.
There is a report. UUynnllmcd H-
yet, that he was struck by an ailtra
aviator's bomb, hut was only slightly
wounded. Whether this A true o.
only q shrewd play for redoublcd
] sympathy and support for his final
drive. the fury Of the Tsptou Gus,
slaughts has not slacferad. hut -
the contrary, is sull 8 owing
The days results, as eHlCieilg gTsae
known so far. are t1at the - u
German wedge between L. liazsre
and Ypres has been pushed on
1 lin the center, from StccnHcUcS
IOONTTNUED on PAGE TWOl