, 1918-04-04
BY EDWARD w. PIcKARD.


Another week of h bloodiest kind
Of fighting failed to bring to the Ger
mans the real victory on which they
had so confidently counted, for 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
ltary authorities. General Ardenne,
says, 1t 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,
yea and battered as they are, are
full Of confidence, and as this is writ
ten are but awaiting h opportune
moment to strike back with h big
army of maneuver which was placed
at the disposal of the supreme war
council.
Amiens, a most important link In
the British line Of communications,
appeared to be the real objective OF
the Germans, and they were able dur
ing the week to push forward toward
that city, along the line of the Somme,
as far as Hamel. and a little farther
north they took Albert and were hold
ing It against fierce counter-attacks by
the British. To the south they had
pushed a salient forward a little be-
yond Montdidier. 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
bornly to their ines along the Disc and
on Thursday attacked dashingly south
of Noyon and drove the enemy back
two miles at the point of the bayonet.
n was along this east n west base
of the German salient h a the allied
world expected the great counter
thrust of the army of maneuver to be
made. Any considerable advance to
the north there 1t was pointed out.
would force the Germans to draw back
10 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 at
tack Of the Huns In the middle of the
week at the northern extremity of the
line of battle toward Arras. There
he British. after giving some ground,
repulsed the enemy with terrible
slaughter. Presumably this thrust at
Arras was made to keep h British
from sending men and guns to the sec
tor where their ines Join those of
the French. hut II was so quickly
blocked that It failed Of its purpose.
Extraordinarily bold and successful
was the work of the British and
French avlators. In their lOw-flying
battle planes they flew in swarms CON
tinuously over'the battlefelds and back
Of the German lines, playing havoc
with the enemy's transports and in
flctlng heavy casualties In his re-
serves. Battles In the air We're lnnu.
merahIe, but the allied airmen main
tanned the upper hand always. The
nrtillerymen also distinguished them
selves, sticking ia their firing TO the
last moment and usually saving their
guns when forced to fall back.
On the whole, the developments OF
the week were such as to restore con,
hdence among the allies. for though
the situation was still critical, II seem.
ed that Premier Clemenceau was right
when he said that whatever might hap,
pen in the next few days. the enemy
could not win the path to the sen MOI
tbs path 10 Paris.
Just what pnrt the American troopS
have been playing in the Somme battle