The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-05-27
Allies Ready for New Blow
but Enemy Gives No
Sign of It.
STILL SHIFTING TROOPS
Belief That He Is Waiting
Till Austria Is Prepared
to Strike Italy,.
GERMANS ON DEFENSIVE
Nearly All the Raiding Is Done
by French, British and
Americans.
GERMANS ON DEFENSIVE

mostly by patrol parties, and here
and there the artillery on one side or
the other. sometimes on both, becomes
active for time and then quiets
down: but, on the whole, the situa-
ton is unchanged.
One of these big gun exchanges of
considerable intensity took place hast
night on the French front southeast
Of Amlens. In the region Of Hangard
Wood. There was similar activity on
the British front in the same neigh.
borhood. ms we'll as on the western
side Of the Lys salient.
Small raids were made by tho Ger.
mans In the orvillers district, between
Montdidier and Lassigny: in the Cham
payne and in the Vosges region, but
they were without material result.
Where and when the Germans plan to
deliver their next blow is still an open
question. The Allies aviatore. however,
continue TO report almost daily the
movement Of Germans behind the lines
as the Kalsers forces are augmented
and rearranged. and guns and supplies
There seems little room for doubt that
the German attempt. when It Is made.
will be the greatest Of the war.
Speculation on Delay.
This question has been occupying con.
siderable space in the Paris press. Ono
writer expresses the belief that the Ger
man command Is waiting for cloudy
weather saying that the allied air SUI
periority makes the German movement
impossible without such weather con.
ditions. Another advances the theory
that the Germans are Occupied in clear
ing the distractions from naval bsses
recently blocked by the British.
third critic. who is not alone IN his
opinion. argues that in delaying the re.
sumption OF the offensive the enemv is
really making an offensive which IL
directed against French nerves." count.
ing on the enervating period Of suspense
10 undermine the morale Of the troops
10 point where a surprise attack would
result in crushing blow.
German internal politics. according tn
ahother. Is what is causing the delay. a.
'he hnal victory ON which the Germans
are counting must not for dynastic in.
'erests be won under the ieadership of
the Crown Prince OF Bavaria, but the
disposition OF the army must be changed
so as to allow the Prussian Crown
Prince TO have the glory Of commanding
in the decisive action.
May he Waiting on Austria,
Yet another theory Is that a renswal
OF the offensive is only awaiting the
moment when the Austrians shall be
able to make simultaneous offensive
In Italy, which moment is still likely to
require days IL no. weeks
Zach theory may contain A.. elemsnt
or truth but one thing ia certain-that
the suspense Is trying not 90 much TO
ue men at the front. who arc always =
actively occupied. even when the oficial
communications report the front lines
calm, but to the country behind, which
Is condemned TO forced waiting.
Every day which passes without WIT.
Messing renewal of the terrific struggle
nnds the Allies better prepared TO with
stand the SHOCK says despatch from
Reuters correspondent, at British Head.
quarters in France. "Gradually the great
tactical and strategic advantages Of
UNITY or command are developing with
the result that confidence regarding ths
result never has been so high
Meanwhile the onComng American
troops. whose steady tramping makes an
almost monotonous cadence. give rcas-
surance that our army Is by no means
waiting passively the resumption of tn,
German attack Day and night they NJ,
taking heavy toll III enemy man power.
harassinG communications and nrpar.
entity even causing the uneasy impress
sion To grow in his ranks that tho
initiative has passed 70 the Allies.
Why Their Raids Fail.
~ believe II is a fact that their troor.
do not like TO raid our position, AZ an
because they know so many OF these en-
terprises fail to reach our lines, which
means that the raiders have had a pretty
bad time
The temperamental difference he,
tween the Germans and the British over.
seas soldier accounts for the vastly dis
proporuonate success of our raids AZ
compared with theirs They initiate our
FOR systematic raidiug was In.
'roduc~i into the war by the Canadians,
hut imitation cannot reproduce the es-
,,n,lal .ania" actor.
"A prisoner from the Eleventh Re-
serve Division. who was captured near
Meteren stated that the morale Of tho
German troops was getting very low be-
ause OF tho poor quality of their rations.
lie said stories OF rich food booty behind
our lines were being freely circulated in
order to stimulate the men Tor the com.
ing renewal Of the offensive"
British Are CONFIDENT.
The morale OF the British troops ts