Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1918-04-04
H|NOENbURG IS A
POOR PROPHET
FAILS TO MAKE GOOD HIS BOAST
THAT HE WOULD BE IN
PARIS BY APRIL I.
It Is Now Only Question Of Time Until
Allies Will Be Able to Build Up
Sufficient Force to Strike
Deciding Blow.

Washington boast of Won Hin
denburg that he would be In Paris
by April has proven an empty one.
The bravery and stubborn fighting OF
the allied forces has prevented the
representative of pltiless Prusslan
power from fulfilling his prophecy.
Although the German gains In ten
days have been such us to dismay the
average observers, they should take
heatr of hope from the testimony OF
General Bell before the military af-
fairs committee of the senate. The
general stated that while he was In
France he had been confidently ac-
quainted with the allied plans and
that these included n retreat In case of
full-fledged German offensive. The
plan was to retire, exactlng the
heaviest possible toll from the enemy,
and at length to rest on some strong
line.
Even though we assume that the al
lies have fallen back greater dis
lance tnan they intended, this need
not discourage us. The. Huns have
concentrated all their fury In this one
stroke. If 1t does not attain its OBJ
Jective We shall have positive proof
that even with Russia out of the war
the allies are able to withstand the
heaviest assaults Of the foe. 1t will
then become merely question Of time
when the allies will be able 10 build up
Il sufficiently superior man and ma
terial power to strike the deciding
blows.
The German kaiser, In bombastlc
language, boosted of what had been
achieved, but showed his own doubts
and fears when he again called upon
his people TO stand firm. His armies
had lost about 100000 men in ten DAYS
and, by implication, he was urging his
people to face intrepidly an equal or
greater loss within the next ten DAYS
or two weeks. He was able to point
out that 100 guns and 10000 prls.
oners had been captured, but he could
not tell his people what they most
longed to hear-that the allied line had
been definitely broken In twain. Tint
would have done more to hearten them
than the boasts about prisoners, guns
and materials.
Inc situation continues grave be-
cause the German pressure has not
iightened, but the allies seem to have
plenty Of reserves. The American
army OF several hundred thousand
mas been offered by General Persbing
10 General Foch and has not yet been
used The only Americans who appeor
10 nave been engaged ure ammunition
carriers, hospital men, engineers and
observers. The engineers probably "a.
sisted In destroying the railroads va.
hecle roads and bridges.
In the retreat the British carrled Off
most Of their big guns. which bovs
not yet been re-emplaced. Their mr..
t''iery men performed prodIgies in
serving the field gulfs and bowI,zero
Frequently German attacks u,.ra
broken up before they Ind been or
ganiAed sufficiently to approach ma.
chlne gun and rifle fire.
The French entered the ba,,o ,,,n.
TWO days after the enemy had hagun
."e urlve. 1t was necessary for them
10. noid the line near La Fere. Thov
zen BACK somewhat from that for,ras.
III" swept out In n curve TO the sop,h
westward as the Germans nuebod o.
ward Soon their line was NJ r,a,,
angles with La Fere and ron No.
Noyoh TO the west. For some dovs ,ha
rrehch held the line of the Disc al
even now have not been forced bocl
'"' from the river. GRADUALLY ,hor
we're able to mass their reserves on
" keep the enemy from mok,no
oreach between the French ond DIT,
70" armies. A week after the con,
u =. Of the battle they had On,
.,eieht reserves to take the offons,,'
Ills was not II general offensive =,
"a' uriVe on a front Of six or seven
''ies between Lassigny and Novon
una lts purpose was to ro,,ovo
pressure which the enemy was hr,n,
Ine against the French forces ooa.
ing the heights in the MontdIdIer s sps
,oa,s me results of these Operations
n 10 nave inspired the allies ,,,,,,'
-on',uehce That the two armie. ,.,,,
not be separated WV armies VIII