New-York tribune., 1918-04-22
Harmony Follows
Selection of Foch
CAPTURED Americans Over.
come Germans in No
Mans Land


ment's strategists if the present drive
at the Channel ports fails. The de-
partment's weekly review tonight says
the enemy's enormous sacrifices have
been barren of primary results, but
adds:
"Looked at from a broad standpoint
Of the general military situation in the
West. it cannot, however. be held that
the battle. now raging in this salient, is
the final nor even the most determined
onslaught of the enemy.
"Therc are indications that, should
the offensive here also fail to lead to
some definite result. the enemy may
undertake a further and even more
powerful thrust"
Americans Escape Captors
The review emphasizes the harmony
Of action obtained through the appoint
n,ent of General Foch as commander in
chief of the Allied armies in the West.
It tells of increased activity along the
sectors held by American troops, and
discloses that recently a number of
Americans who had been captured and
we're being conducted through No Mans
Land to the German lines turned upon
their captors. escaped and made their
.. way back to their own trenches. No
! details of the incident are given
SIN what has hitherto been held the
I principal scene of operations, the
salient stretching from north of Arras
I. to south of the Disc Canal. with It's
{ rev, "there has been no important
change during the week in the posi-
j tons of the contending forces.
j AN apparent slackening Of hostile
pressure north and south of the Somme
! is recorded. though it. would be pre-
nature to assert that the Amiens OBJ
/ jective has been abandoned
4Aong the front from the Avre to
Noyon French counter thrusts netted
local advantages.
French Advance Line
Northwest of Moreuil the French
launched strong assault, which re-
suited in the capture of three hundred
prisoners. A second attack in this vi
cinity gained some 75O prisoners and
enabled the French to advance their
Line in the neighborhood of Castel.
In the secondary theatre of the of
{ 'iersve. the new salient formed by the
/ pressing back of the British between
peIate fighting continued throughout
the week. Here the enemy was able to
win terrain of distinct tactical value
and. by occupying part of the Messincs
Ridges exerted such threat upon the
British forces in the old Ypres salient,
posted beyond Passchendaele and the
fpres-Menin road, as to force their
withdrawal along a line running east
fpres, thus Strengthening out the r-
regularity of Allied dispositions in this
area
with the combat situation still in
sux, 1t can serve no purpose to discuss
in detail the tactical phases of the
operations taking place
"Wulyerghem, Neuvc Eglise, Meteren
and the area stretching to the Lys was
the scene of some of the bloodiest en-
/ counters of the war. Here the British
/ hare been pressed back only locally
and the various tactical objectives
have changed hands rapidly.
y British Hold Mt. KENNEL
The fighting in the area centring
1 around Mount KENNEL continues with
Increasing intensity. This key position
remains in British hands, though the
snemy gained foothold along it's
southern slopes. The British, with
/ french support, which has arrived, are
/ consolidating their positions and hold
4 ing we'll
THE Germans have been able to gain
local advantage in Flanders, yet, sur
seying the combat situation as a whole.
II can be affirmatively stated that their
enormous sacrifices and heaped-up cas-
uaities have hitherto been barren Of
primary results.
The enemy, while pushing with vigor
toward the Channel ports and increas-
ing his pressure to maximum, has
ceen unable to force even strategic
,.stirement upon the Allies, much less
d'sorganize their order of battle.
UNITY of command has materially
asseiitated strategic problems with
Snicn , the Allies are now confronted.
The official selection Of General
.och as commander in chief of the
Aii,ed armies means either that he has
10Y strategic control of the belliger-
mt strength Of all of the Allies in the
west and will be able to dispose of all
u their forces SO as to secure maxi
mum economy and efficiency in their
Inc complete harmony of Allied
operations is illustrated by the bring
,,as up Of large body of trained
Aiian units TO take part in the battle
en the West.
American Troops Active
Along the sectors Of the front in
hnieh our own troops are in action
III vas relatively greater activity.
~ 'he Meuse area the enemy broke
n.t a.o our lines. but was promptly Eriven
~ ~. with severe losses. Incfcased
s,.ping and machine gun fire was
- y%r "a both along the Meuse and north
loui. Our counter battery work
moved itself efficient in Keeping
ssyxn ~, hostile shelling, which burst
Al, ~ IN greater volume and intensity
s'' restrcted areas.
'ns 'irst two enemy aeroplaneg
zstouSnt down by our ayiators were
fa', fy, a""n behind our lines north Of
no operations Of Importance took
ssss ssse W the Italian theatre, aside from
Ea.I mttent artillery bombardment.
f,,Ii. number Of minor raids SUCCESS
49, earned out by the Italians. No
a., sesn oeyeioprncnts are noted.
ad,. ~ tne East the enemy continues to
ahce practically without opposition
1,ns 1s,ass the main highways leading to
x.sssuYss Of certain economic impor-
~ particularly in the Ukraine.
~ the balkans Creek and Briti,h
s"Ss acting in cooperation crossed
g!ll. Snr1me and captured number Of
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