The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-03-31
BRITISH CALM
AND CONFIDENT
Reciprocal News Service,
From 13, Queen Anne's Gate, Lon
don. Relayed by K. c. Office.
BY K. WALKER.

London, March 29.-I met a man
home on Leave at lunch today.
"When did you come over?' ! ask
ed. yesterday. Forty-eight hours
ago | was in the thick OF it, In
the midst of the great battle he had
been notified by field telephone that
he was due to go on leave and his
major had persuaded him to 90.
Last Wednesday evening receiy-
ed a letter from a major OF engi-
necrS, also in the thick OF it. 1t
was dated Monday.
These are small matters to send
across the ocean as echoes OF the
great conflict, but believe they will
help YOU to realize, better than any
official assurances, the mcthodical
calm with which England's supreme
effort for democracy is being con
Quoted. The behavior of the people
at home is a match for the imper-
turbable working OF the last mill
tary machine. Personal anxiety and
suspense are universal. do not
know a family which has not one
real defender OF democracy in the
heroic British divisions known or
believed to be engaged in the battle
but in public there has been go sign
OF uneasincss. Only the questions
we ask each other have changed
They are no longer exclusively con
cerncd with the movement of the
hour. The future is still inscrutable
in all it's details but it is longer
future than il was a few davs ago
VIII the battle be decisiye2 ? viii
it bring peace? At the time of writ
ing the best opinion | have beer
able to consult answers YES to the
first and shakes its head over the
second. As deathblow to the yer,
last German hope of ultimate vic
tory it will be decisive. SO far a,
strictly military events 90 ii will not
end the war because the Hun gen.
eral staff still has in reserve sufi.
cicnt forces to carry out a big alter.
native plan OF defense prepared for
lust such an cventuality for a dead.
lock on a new line which would, il
effect, be a German defeat. British
victory, and a challenge to America
The issue of the war would be as
sured but its duration would de
pend upon American arms and Am
erican shipbuilders.
We know today that the first
German plan Of offensive has beer
terribly defeated. that the German
sacrifice Of Life has been overwhelm
inglv too great for even German
wireless to support the early CLAIM
of victory which was part Of tn,
prcarranged plan Of battle. Thei
capture Of territory, prisoners anC
material will not stand comparison
with the loot OF their comparativel!
bloodles ofiensiyes in Italy and Rus
sia. The price has been so high tha
they are on the verge OF bankruptcy
and, like bankrupt, prepared To-
still more desperate throws. Fo
nobody here makes the mistake o
believing that the enemy's offensiy,
resources are yet eXhaustcd; it i
considered probable that he vii
seek to maintain the war of maneu
yer, possibly by thrusts elsewhere
however slow the pace, in the vain
glorious hope OF crushing cncirc
ling movement at one or the othe
extremity of the new salient, ever
il Amiens, Abbevile, the sea and al
his first great hopes have eludet
him.
On the other hand the Britisl
plan of a steady retreating and CRU