Evening star., 1918-07-07
Hardly Likely Foch Will Move
Forward In General
Offensive.
ALLIES SUCCESSFUL
IN NIBBLlNG AT FOE
French, British and Americans
Have Seoted in Important
Actions. .
TEuToNs HAVE ADVANTAGE
Mobility Of Forces May Enable
Them to Undertake Double Drive
for Channel and Paris.
By OLIVER OWEN KUHN.

Tho roar of myriads of great
Gums continues on the western
front. Airplanes are darting
Through the clouds in feverish
haste to carry out assigned mis-
/. sions. Areas back of both bel
,, ligerent lines are being bombed
! from the clouds and by heavy
,artillery. Patrols are striking
swift and hard in the hope of
sbtaining prisoners that desired
Information as to enemy plans
rfsy Be obtained. Behind the
lines the Germans and the allies
are pressing preparations.
The hour is approaching when
once more the fields of Flanders
and France are to be bathed in
the blood of tens of thousands
of men. General activities all
along the line from the sea to
Switzerland indicate offensive
efforts. Most likely it will be
the Germans who strike, for it
seems a pretty definitely fixed
policy of the allied command to
hold their great offensive eff
forts in allegiance until Amer
ica's forces on the western front
are greater, when the final de-
cisive blow can be struck.
German prisoners declare their
commanders about ready for re-
newed Of
Cut-Up Divisions fensive en-
Have Been Replaced. visiouswbicb
were badly cut up in the first Flan-
ders drive in the efforts to reach
Amiens and in the German drive to-
ward Paris and the Marine have been
re-equipped and strengthened from
reserve depots. The Germans have
brought up increased weight Of heavy
artillery. Won Hindenburg has SO or
ganized his forces that they are ex-
tremely mobile and he is able to strike
at almost any point along the whole
line. .-
There are increasing signs, however.
that he will eitne- attempt to crush
the British armies in Flanders or
strike the Americans and the French
in the direction Of Paris. The French
believe the Germans may undertake
the two great offensives 1T tho same
moment-the presumption being that
fvon Hindenburg hopes to prevent
transference of great allied reserve
forces from one section to the other.
There Is no question but tina. the Ger
mans have the men to use in double
operation they now having more than
200 divisions On the western front.
But the allied command processes
complete readiness fo- anything tie
Germans undertake.
1t Is unQuestionably a fact that
when the Germans do move forward
they will do SO with determination to
bring the war to a conclusion. 1t Is
imperative, too. that the German COM
mand give to the German people
more than stories of ruthless sacri-
flee. There is also every reason to be-
1ieve that when the Germans strike
again they will be no more success
offensive endeavors Of the present
year. in which case their armies will
be cut to pieces and the German COM
mand will have but remembrances of
hopeless dreams.
There have been many annoying
1tff1a t,, he oil
line since the recent German drives
and these slowly are being ironed
out in preparation for the renewed
heavy offensive actions. The British
during the past week struck In the
region of Bezincourt and obtained
high ground dominating the German
line. Their most successful operation,
however, was in the region Of VII
lers Bretonneux near the Somme.
where they penetrated German posi-
mile front and captured 1900 pris-
oners. Here the British position has
been materially bettered.
The French struck in the region
northwest of Scissors near Mou1ins
sous Toutvent ..Hthere the French
forward on a three-mile front to a
depth Of nearly three-f1fths Of
mile. More than thousand prison.
ers were captured in this operation.
At P.ssy en- vaiois. above the Ameri-
oan line in the region of Chateau
Thierry. the French also smashed for
ward ana gained considerable ground
; valuable from q purely defensive
standpoint.
In most cases the Germshs have
| not been slow to counter attack. but
they have suffered only sharp re-
!, verses. The allies have indicted
/. greatest possible losses on the enemy
ana the Germans are finding that mar
Tor man they cannot hope to defeat
the ellteA Consequently 1t may be
expected that when the new German
drive does get under way the old
. system OF heavy massed attacks at
be utilized to the fullest, in which
case the allies are certain to infitct
the maximum amount Of buniahrnent
for. every foot OF ground the Ger
E1nans gain.
4+
II II only with greatest pride that
Americans can look on tho activities
Of their SOL
Americans Again diers in the
shew Their Metal. tss,'. tssn rn,.rrr. = sn..
where for more than three weeks they
shAye attacked and been counter at
'Seoked, and whore they have gained
e0 oh1ecttvoS they Get out to gain and
i&id41ed Germans who dared dispute
Qpo9eesoion Of ground they held. The
4chlevements Of the Americans on this
9SitA1 section Of the battle line has
1drawn warm plaudits from the French
Send British. The Americans have
-. 80 -