The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-04-06

AIS &A0&M@ A&@AA1g N84~4 %~&@A
wen be the decisive struggle OF
the present war, is still in the
balance az / write, and is pass
ing through the critical stage.
The issue depends upon the
power Of the opposing antsg-
onists 20 throw In reserves.
We should do well to appre-
ciate the contrast between the
present situations Of the Ger
mans and the Allies In this mat
ter. It is like the contrast be-
tween a boxer who has hitherto
husbanded his strength, await
ing his opponents exhaustion,
and another who, after excep-
tionally heavy expenditure OF
his energy, unexpectedly pro
longed, nevertheless has . re-
mainder still unused.
The French had prepared for
Just such an occasion as this q
large. intact and fresh strategic
reserve, upon which it was
known the issue of the great
battle must ultimately depend.
This reserve has been widely
discussed In the German press,
which has variously estimated
it at not less than thirty nor
more than sixty divisions. The
enemy must be left to discover
its exact measure by the weight
of its impact.
The Germans, On the other
hand, have thrown in, as I viii
explain later, the great mass OF
their available strength for the
purpose Of obtaining a decision
a. rapidly as possible. But
there remains behind that mass
a certain proportion Of untouch-
ca human material effective for
the shock Of battle, which the
German commander can still
bring in, and with which they
hone to obtain their decision.
Which of the two almost
equal weights, thus balanced in
final contest, win tip the beam
and bring victory, fate only
knows. But that it is still pos
sible TO continue the contest at
all is due to the continued hero
ia maintenance of the British
line to the north, after q retreat
Of a severity unparalleled even
in this war.
Enemy Cannot Wait
Arrival Of Guns.
The action Of the enemy in
the course of the last six days
from Saturday, March 80, to
Thursday, April 4, is based on
the necessity Of extremely rapid
action. This is proved by his
use Of infantry in great masses
and at an immense expense, with
out waiting fully to bring up his
heavy artillery, and by putting
all the weight of his attack on
the junction of the British and
French armies, which Is also the
sector where he is nearest to the
main line Of railway betweent
Amiens and Paris.
This sector has Montdidier on
the south and the Somme river
on the north. 1t Is here that he
is continuing at an unprecedent
ed expense his effort to break
through. Two days have been
especially marked for this. Last
Saturday he attacked with a
greater force for the front chos-
en- than ever before, and he lost
more heavily than any other
day. The attack gave him about
a 1900 yard gain over about
three miles Of front.
There has been Of necessity a
lull Of four days ia which to re-
organize. The losses in the at
lacking infantry have been at
least 40 per cent because it has
not been properly supported BY
guns. The gains on the second
Thursday were still at a dispro-
expense, and in re-
turn for his infantry losses he
achieved less than ia the first at
tack, at any rate in its first
phase, but he is still continuing.
The center was at Moreuil, just
where the two armies join. The
allied Line, gave about half a
mile IN the course Of the day
both to the north and to south Of
that town, but nothing in the
center. It must be remembered
that at the moment that this
telegram is being sent, this ac-
ton Is still continuing. II
Great Battle Open
On Fifty Mile Front.