davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1918-06-02
The Two Great
German Advantages

Taking up the present attack, it is nec-
essary to revert to the circumstances fire.
queutly emphasized in these articles,
namely, the great advantages possessed
by the Germans, first in having the
initiative, and second, in holding the in
side Of a semicircular line IN France.
Out of these two things have developed
these great successes Of the present cam
paign.
The decision of the Allies to make no
attack this year, that is, no major at
tack, but await the arrival of the Ameri-
can armies, holding themselves upon the
defensive for 1913 and preparing to take
the offensive with American aid next
year, was based upon the experience Of
three years of Western warfare. The
bloody defeats or failures Of the British
at Loos, the French in Champagne in
1915, of the Germans before Verdun in
1916, and the wholly restricted and local
successes Of the British and French at
the Somme in 1916, and of the British in
Flanders in 1917, together with the cost
~ failure Of the Nivelle offensive at the
Aisne last year, convinced the Allied
commanders that, given equal numbers,
the defensive was far more profitable
than the offensive, provided it were pos
sible to wait; and, with America coming
up, it was possible to wait.
The Germans, on the other hand, could
not wait, but they were able, by moving
troops from the Russian front, now abol-
ished as a fighting front, to establish
something like an equality in numbers on
the West front for the first time since
the early winter of 1914-'15. In addi-
ton, they had devised a system of attack
IN the East which they rightly believed
would revolutionize conditions in the
West
New-York tribune., 1918-06-02

tions on which was founded their defen-
sive strategy.
In the second place, the Germans, hold
ing the inner side of the great salient in
France, toward the outer edge of which
railways radiated like the spqkes of a
wheel, were able, once they possessed
successful method of breaking through
the Allied crust of trench defences, to
throw their men at one front and then
at another infinitely more rapidly than
could the Allies, who had to work round
the rim of the wheel instead of along the
spokes.
A Succession of
Surprises
Now, note how the Germans have taken
advantage of these two factors:
In March the French, expecting an at
toSh OlA tAAC <AAouC WlCIC ~ udS IlOW come,
massed their reserves between Paris and
the Soissons- Rheims front. Accordingly
the Germans, holding their masses in a
threatening posture to the last moment,
as they could because of their position,
suddenly attacked, west of St. Quentin,
routed the British Fifth Army and
pushed rapidly on toward Amjens.
Thereupon the French reserves were
rushed off to the Amiens-Noyon front
and all the front north Of Arras was
stripped to reinforce the sector to the
south. After a week the German ad-
vance from St. Quentin was checked
just east of Amiens. But without de-
lay the Germans, using still another
spoke in their wheel, rushed masses of
troops against the front between Ypres
and Arras, which had been stripped of
men to reinforce the AHaiens sector,
broke through, took Armentieres, Kcm-
mel, Bailleul and nearly captured Haze
brouck. 1t became necessary then to
rush more French reserves of to the
north, and the Soissons-Rheims front
was left practically bare.
Then came the great pause, during
which the Germans coolly and without
haste proceeded to refit and reorganize
their divisions, replace losses, bring up
fresh cannon and accumulate new stores
of munitions. When they were ready
they proposed TO attack, but they utterly
renounced the old Verdun method, which
called for renewed attacks at the point
where the enemy had ultimately got up
his reserves and his artillery.
New-York tribune., 1918-06-02

On Monday, May 27, the German
attacked again, this time operating along
third spoke of his wheel and attacking
the front behind which, in March, the
French had massed their reserves. But
these reserves were now covering Amiens
and Calais, for the Allies were bound to
guard the points which were most vital
and, by reason of the German successes.
weakest Thus for the third time the
German attack fell upon a sector which
had been practically stripped of defend
ers, that is, of reserves behind the i'm
mediate line, and repeated his successes
in Picardy and Flanders in Champagne.
Now, we may conclude that by Sunday
or Monday-unless there be some great
disaster, of which there is no present
suggestion-the German advance will be
checked, both by reason of the arrival of
Allied reserves and because of the ex-
culties for his transport that his long
advance has created. Six days, as a
rule, is the limit of such success as the
present. The attack of March 21 was
definitely halted by March 26, and at
Verdun in 1916 the check came in the
same time.
New-York tribune., 1918-06-02

their costly attack Of a year ago and
the further gains made brilliantly and
inexpensively by Petain few months
later. It has won for the Germans the
ground occupied by them at the end Of
their retreat from the Marne in 1914,
and at points it is bringing them very
near to the Marne itself
New-York tribune., 1918-06-02

which follow the Marne Valley, and pass
through Epernay and Chalons-sur-
Marne.
Now, unquestionably, in every case
the German has hoped to reach the
larger objective indicated, but it is doubt
full if he has expected such success, and
1t is even more doubtful if his attack
was dictated by any other strategy than
that of attacking at the point which he
knew to be least strongly defended, push
ing any initial advantage as far as he
could, and then, when the Allies had at
last stripped another sector to defend
this imperilled front, striking at the
new opening.
In other words, it seems to me the
Germans, whose obvious purpose must
be to defeat the Allied armies, not to
reach any particular objective in ad-
vance of supreme military victory, are
very deliberately employing their two
advantages, that bestowed upon them by
the Allies when the latter accepted the
defensive and that incident to the pos
ture of the Germans in France, to rain
blow after blow upon the Allied armies,
always striking at the weakest point
and ever seeking by multiplicity of
local successes to bring about situation
out of which the supreme success will
flow.
In September, 1914, the Germans ar
rived at the edge of Paris and quite
logically ignored the French capital to
deal with the French army. Had they
succeeded at the Marne Paris would have
been an easy prey; had they undertaken
to occupy Paris and deal with the French
army at the same time the events of the
Marne are the best evidence of the Ger
man disaster which would have resulted.
Geographical Objective
Un6mportant
Now it seems to me we must all Of
us be on our guard against assigning
definite geographical objective to each
German attack and thereafter treating
ourselves to period of optimism when
he does not arrive at that point The
German objective remains the same. He
is out for a military decision, to be had
only by crushing the military power Of
France and Britain before the United
States can become potent factor.
German strategy so far in the cam
paign Of 1918 has BEEN limited to a
New-York tribune., 1918-06-02
Fighting Strength
At End Will Decide

"It is, no doubt, matter of very great
Importance whether Amiens or the Eng
lish position on the heights in Flanders
falls; it is so important because the
great English bridgehead on our side of
the Channel cannot afford to lose teo
much ground without the strategy of tho
Western Powers being gravely impairsd
and the bridgehead itself being menaced.
But the point Of view which alone is de-
cisive for the strategy of this campaign
lies beyond these outward and visible
battle successes; the ultimate question is
the question of the measure in which the
preparatory strategic operations eat up
the forces on both sides. When all the
Introductory blows have succeeded in
loosening the rigid mass and our army
undertakes the last and decisive stroke,
will the German command still have pre-
served SO much fighting strength that
the favorable strategic situation can be
thoroughly exploited?"
New-York tribune., 1918-06-02
Germans Have No
One Objective
Goal Is Final
andSupren1e
Success
By FRANK II. SIMONDS
Author of "The World War;" ssThev
Shall Not Pass

At the outset of any review of the first
five days of the latest German attack il
is essential to recognize certain facts
which, however disturbing, cannot be
blinked. For the third time, after de-
Iberate preparation and methodical con.
centration of resources and men, material
and munitions, the Germans have struck
effected complete surprise. pierced the
Allied lines and-when this article is
written, on Friday, May Stare still ad-
vancing twenty miles and more south Of
their starting place.
We have then to concede, at once, thar
the German method of attack. credit for
which is ascribed to General Won Hutier.
the conqueror of Riga, has so far proved
beyond Allied skill to fathom and meet as
all previous systems of attack, German
and Allied, have been met and checked
within narrow limits on the Western
front. A gain of thirty-fve miles be-
tween ST. Quentin and Amiens. an ad-
vance of fifteen miles between Lille and
Ha1ebrouck, and now drive of more than
twenty miles between the Aillette and the
Marne, these are incontestable proof of
the value Of the Hutier method.
New-York tribune., 1918-06-02
Defensive a Mistake
For Allies

With the success of the Hutier method
OF attack the whole Allied calculation
went into the discard. Not only was it
no longer true that an attack meant
costly purchase Of two or three miles of
shell-torn country, but it was equally
certain that the cost to the attacking
army in the Hutier warfare was not ma
terially greater than the expense for the
defending armies where their front had
been pierced, their organization shat
tered and vast numbers Of prisoners and
An enormous quantity of material lost
either by destruction or capture.
It seems clear now that the Allies
made mistake in accepting the defen-
sive, although they had not developed
anything like the German system Of at
tack. For the defensive was only ad-
visable provided it resulted in no mate
mai losses Of ground, whereas in these
German attacks positions of incalculable
Importance have been lost. The first
secret in German success, then, is in tho
1eation Of new system Of attack which,
8* blow, demolished all Allied calcula-
New-York tribune., 1918-06-02
German Strikes
At Our Morale

And now one word as to the spirit in
which we must all of us face the present
crisis. have been deeply impressed in
the last few days with the pessirnism
and apprehension which have been pro-
duced by this latest German attack. It
seems to me they are not warranted and
contribute materially to helping the Ger
man in his own particular game. He is
striking at our morale even more than
at our lines. He hopes to conquer those
behind the line even when he only forces
the line backward few miles.
The gains which the German is max
ing are considerable and disappointing.
There is no blinking this fact. But, on
the other hand, these gains will not spell
victory for him if he does not vastly in
crease them, and his period of grace is
rapidly shortening. He is using his
best. His own morale will not stand the
present pace indefinitely and he is con-
sciously seeking not gains, but a decision.
and his people are watching the battle
reports for the announcement, not of
the fall of Rheims, but of new Water
loo or Sedan. For that public knows
that nothing else will avail.
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-03-06
RACING
MEETS LIKELY
IN new CIRCUIT

Steps toward perfecting the organ
ization of the Mindak Racing circuit,
made up of four North Dakota and
four Minnesota cities, will be taken
at the meeting of the North Dakota
Association of Fairs secretaries, in
progress in Fargo today.
The contemplated circuit was par
TALLY organized at a meeting held in
Fergus Falls, Mimi, recently, and w.
NJ. Parker of Sank Center, Mimi,
was elected president, with F. w. Nc
Roberts, Fargo, secretary.
BY establishing an eight-meet cir
cult, the fair officials believe they
would be able to attract a string of
fine horses to the northwest. For
the last two or three years, the Fargo
fair has been on a short circuit, and
the result has been that the entries
have been limited
Under the eight-meet circuit plan,
racing would commence the first week
in July, and the horses would be Civ
en- eight weeks run, up to the first
week in September, when the Hamline
fair takes place. The fall campaign
could then be entered.
Minnesota cities included in the
Mindak circuit are Fergus Falls,
Sank Center, Crookston, with St.
Cloud and Sank Rapids holding a
joint meet. Fargo, Grand Forks, VAL
ley City and Cooperstown are the
North Dakota cities on the circuit.
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-03-06
GOVERNMENT CONTROLLER
Fl MONTHSAFTER The WAR
fRv Associated Press

Washington, March 6.-Govern-
ment control and operation of rail-
roads probably will continue for Fl
months after the war.
A tentative agreement fixing that
time limit was reached late yester-
day by conferees on the railroad
control bill as a compromise for two
years, proposed in the house bill and
1S months in the senate. The con-
ferees expect their tentative agree
ment finally will be presented TO
congress.
The conferees adjourned with the
important question of rate-making
still in dispute. Complete adjust
ment Of differences on the measure
is expected I'm view Of limitations
said to have come from President
Wilson that he would not object to
the senate bills provision giving him
power to initiate rates, but retain
ing authority for their final review
by the interstate commerce commits
sion.
The conferees also finally ratified
their tentative agreement, bringing
all short line railroads into the
system. The house
provision for the short lines" was
adopted by the con-
ferees in lieu of the senate's pro-
vision which would affect only
lines.
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-03-06
SUSPECT LICE OF Being
CAUSE OF TRENCH FEVER
Red Cross Physicians Experimenting
With Men of Sanitary Corps,
Trying to Find Cause.
(By Associated Press.)

Paris, March 6.-Sixty enlisted men
OF the United States sanitary corps,
all from New England, are now serv-
ing as hosts to normal or infected
lice, or have received injections OF
blood from soldiers known TO have
been suffering from trench fever.
They are quartered in a British base
hospital where the American Red
Cross is using them for an investiga-
ton Of trench fever. which is new
since the war.
The organism producing the fever
has not yet been discovered by
microscope although it heads the
fevers among the British troops at
the front and stands second in the
list Of those causing the greatest
wastage. The disease is not fatal
hut it means an absence Of six to
eight weeks from the ranks.
Scarcity of physicians in the Brit
ish army prevented the Royal Army
Medical corps from studying the
cause of the disease. The American
Red Cross decided to undertake a
survey based on the yellow fever
investigation in Cuba.
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-03-06
MEN OF GERMAN BIRTH
NOT ALLOWED AT FRONT
Pershinu Adopts Policy of Sending
Them to lnsular Posts When
Loyalty is Unquestioned.

Washington, March 6.-Oficers and
men in the army who are of enemy
nationality but of whose loyalty there
is no question, will not be permitted
to serve on the battle fronts but
will be detailed to insular posts when
their regiments are ordered to
France.
The war department has adopted
as a policy for the treatment of such
cases of sending the men TO duty in
insular possessions, releasing men in
the regiments there who can be sent
to France.
A recent case Of the kind was that
Of Capt. Franz J. FeinleT, chaplain of
a regular regiment and who went
with his regiment to France. He is
Of German birth and speaks with a
marked German accent although he
has been in the army since 1909. No
doubt has been cast upon his loyalty
but it has been decided by General
Pershing that the feelings of the
French authorities must be consider
ed. Chaplain Feinler therefore was
sent back and assigned to duty at
Fort Shafter, Hawaiian islands.
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-03-06
WISHEK Case IS
BIGGEST BROUGHT
UNDER war ACT
In NORTH DAKOTA.
Accused Banker Will Make
Hard Fight Against Es-
pionage Charge
SECRET SERVICE
MEN LONG ON JOB
Prominence of Defendant
Adds Significance to
Federal Action

The indictment Of John III. Wishek,
Of Ashley, former candidate for gov
ernor Of North Dakota. on the charge
Of Obstructing the sale or Liberty
bonds, is the most significant devel-
Opment in the governments cam
paign in North Dakota against sedt-
ton, in the opinion Of federal on
Gals who have interested themselves
IN the case.
The investigation that led to the
indictment of the Ashley banker and
politician has been extended over a
period OF several months, and 1t was
directed by secret service men in the
employ Of the treasury department
and identified with the Ninth district
federal reserve bank.
Six different counts are included
in the indictment that has been re-
turned against Wishek, and to
answer which he appeared In federal
court in Fargo on Tuesday after
noon, pleading not guilty and put
ting up a $4,000 bond to guarantee
his appearance at the term Of the
federal court at the Bismarck term.
Appointed Loan Director.
Some time ago, the North Dakota
Liberty loan committee had under
consideration the appointment Of
Wishek as chairman of the Liberty
loan campaign in Mcintosh county.
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-03-06
PUBLIC GARAGES
TO Be TAXED BY.
RAILROAD BOARD.

Bismarck. n. D.. March Ga new
source Of revenue which Is expected
to produce $4,000 per year for the
state has been discovered by the
North Dakota railway commission in
an authority to tax public ware
houses where automobiles are stored
for hire. The attorney generals Of
fee has ruled that all warehouses Of
this description, as well as those
which store live storage batteries for
pay. must be licensed by the state
railway and warehouse commission,
paying the annual license fee OF SO.
1t Is estimated there are 5000 such
warehouses in North Dakota. All
automobile warehouse companies &C
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-03-06
.BAPTISTS WILL TALK
CAMPAIGN THURSDAY

Members OF the First Baptist
church. Fargo will do their share in
raising North Dakota's quota of ST.
600 of a $1,000 900 fund for mission
airy work in the several fields of the
denomination, and are to meet at
dinner in the parlors of the church
at $50 o'clock Thursday evening to
discuss plans for the Fargo drive.
T. +. Cole and ]. A. Van Rleeck are
the arrangements committee for the
meeting.
The principal speaker at the dinner
will he Rev. A. Lariego. chairman of
the Northern Baptist F1ve-year Pro-
gram committee, and one of the lead
ing men OF the Baptist church, who
will discuss the manner of conduct
for the campaign.
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-03-06
Chinese Farmers
Will Settle on
Wisconsin Lands
(By Associated Press.l

Chicago, March 6.-Twelve expert
Chinese agriculturists left here to-
day for Ladysmith, Wis, to estab-
lish the first camp of the back to
the land" movement of Chinese resi-
dents of the United States. The
party is under the leadership of Hip
Lung, mayor OF chinatown. Up
ward OF fifteen hundred acres of land
in Wisconsin have been leased by
Hip Lung to try the experiment OF
Chinese truck gardening in this part
of the country as war and economic
measure. By fall a large number Of
Chinese are expected to be at work
on the land.
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-03-06

Several Of his friends had interested
themselves on his behalf, but accord
ing to authorities, such interest had
been developed only after complaints
had been made to the government
relative to the previous alleged actt-
vities Of the accused man.
The appointment Of chairman in
Mcintosh was held up by Chairman
Mcdowell, and 1T was the only coun-
ty in which n chairman had not been
named when Mr.. Mcdowell made
public the list of county officials.
Caused Transfer of Money.
According to the charges made to
the federal authorities and infor-
nation in connection with which
was laid before the federal grand
jury at its recent session here,
Wishek is accused of going among
his German friends in Mcintosh
county, particularly in the immediate
vicinity of Ashley, and spreading the
doctrine that money deposited in na-
tionai banks was likely to confisca-
ton at the hands of the federal gov
eminent, while money in n state bank
was not liable to seizure.
1t is charged, too, that Wishek
spread the same doctrine with re-
spect to banks that purchased Lib
erty bonds-the accused man being
cited as making the declaration that
banks purchasing Liberty bonds were
not as safe as banks that did not buy
such bonds.
Will Make Hard Fight.
John Wishek will make a hard
fight against the governments
charges. OF that, there can be no
doubt. He is a wealthy banker and
has been known by the rather stately
title of King Of the Germans.
In the race for governor several
years ago, when he sought nominal
ton on the Republican ticket, Wishek
made his fight on a resubmisSion
platform, and appealed particularly
port.
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-03-06
1892 Autos
Are Missing
In Windy City

One and one-half times as many
automobiles as are owned in Fargo are
missing in Chicago. the victims of
organized gangs OF automobile
thieves, according to a booklet. giving
the description of each machine, re-
ceived by the Fargo police depart
ment this morning. The total is l.
592. The list covers 1917. and Janu-
airy and February in 1918.
The total OF missing automobiles in
the United States at the present time
numbers more than 10000, Morton
Sydness, police sergeant, said this
morning.
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-03-06
AYR GIVES Sl4
TO SMOKE FUND
FOR SOLDIERS
Grand Total of Fund With
Contributions Today Is
More Than ST., 1874

Ayr, N. D.. citizens have done a
bit" for the smoke fund for Ameri-
can soldiers in France.
Fourteen dollars and fifty cents,
raised last fall for another purpose,
and never used has been forwarded
to The Fargo Forum by II. A. NAL
chose. Eighteen contributors are on
the list.
With other contributions today. the
fund totals $1,344.32, Of which 81. 800
has been forwarded for the purchase
of smoke kits:
The Ayr list, and other contribu-
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-03-06
Red Cross Nets
S3,035 In One
Day 'SCdmbaigri

Hope, on its Red Cross field
day, which featured an auction
sale and monthly pledge cam
paign, Melted a total OF 1885 for
the Hope branch for the coming
year, according to a report made
by NJ. 3. Cassell, treasurer of the
chapter, to Judge N. c. Young,
state director.
The pledges signed up aaare-
gate S1,764, and the auction sale
Melted $2.035, the total being
about $500 in excess of the first
report made by the Hope branch
to the state Red Cross.
Horses, cattle, hogs, and even
an automobile, were donated for
the auction sale, and the farmers
were particularly liberal, accord
ing to Mr.. Cassell.
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-03-06

cepting cars for storage viii be re-
quired to put up a $1,000 bond in
order TO obtain license. and the ef-
fect40f the new ruling, the rail board
believes, viii be to eliminate un-
concerns OF little or no
financial responsibility.