The Washington herald., 1918-04-24
NAVAL RAID SUCCEEDS: -
SHIPS BLOCK CHANNEL:
ALL GOES VERY WELL"
Experts Predict
NeU Hun Drive
WithArrasGoal

The Germans must renew their bat
tie.
Preparations for renewal are well
under way along the Arras-AIbert
line. Heavy concentrations Of Ger
man troops have been observed back
Of that line.
1t will be an attempt TO pinch out
the British salient about Arras, div
ing them back from the dearly
bought vimy Ridge and their posi-
tions in front of Lens. 1t will prob
ably be accompanied by a compile
mentary attack on the northern arm
Of the salient, driving towards Be-
thune.
1t is not beyond the bounds OF pos.
slhility that the British may abandon
this protruding sector. They viii do
so IL German pressure demands sac
ritces in resistance which the ground
Is not worth On the other hand the
high allied command may determine
that aside from the intrinsic value
Of this section il should be held de-
spite cost. in view OF the heavy toll
already exacted from the German
waves and in view OF the manifest
advantages of letting the Germans al
this moment find themselves UT
against a stonewalI.
Huns Can't Break Through.
No one believes that the Germau,
can now break through. The view
of the English critic is sustained
in French quarters. Optimism ther,
II reflected by Premier Clemen-
ceau's declaration on his return
from the Flanders front. To a
Paris Newspaper correspondent he
said:
Il am very much satisfied will
what saw in Flanders. The lnorsl'
of the allied troops is splendid- Tn,
| regiments are so dense behind tn,
lines that ! was at last forced q
! review them from sn automobile
I French military opinion is ais,
sure that the attack will be re
! newed by the Germans. But so con
| fdent are the French that the sit
uation is well in hand that Ger
Petain. commander-in-chief Of tn
French forces has announced tha
leaves will again be granted to al
anks after April IS. All leave
were suspended when the Germal
offensive began. Gen. Bertrand
! writing in the Petit Journal, say
that the Germans have paid dearl,
for their advances and that the.
must continue so to pay. He writes
ITO have gained ground mean
! nothing from the point of view o
concluding the war before the TO
| tai development Of the America
force at a time when no objectiy
Of great Importance has been at
tanned. It is not the local action
| on the front that should now b
analyzed, but what is going on d
the rear in preparation for gres
new moves. There have been oh
served anew great concentration
of German troops"
Arras Next Hun Goal.
Arras is generally construed TO b
the next German objective for tw
reasons. 1t presents itself in a sa
Iient against both sides of whicI
pressure may be applied. And, thoug
it is not a railway center, it is o
value as a center of communicate
close up behind the lines.
1t is expected that the main Ger
man attempt will be delivered be
tween Arras and Albert because o
1.-THE advantage OF terrain. II tn
Germans succeed in thrusting throug
to any extent at this point they wi
flank the right positions, Vimy an
others, in the northern part Of tn
salient and force their abandonment
The northern part Of the salient pre-
sents all the difficulties of terrai
which the Germans will not have {
face on the south. Hence any attac
here is looked for more in the ma
ture of a diversion in force.
The salient as a whole presents
far more difficult problem than di
the salient at Ypres for the German:
1t is wider. The German forces
powerful though they still are. ar
more worn with each succeeding des
perate venture. On the allied side. o
the other hand, fresh troops have bee
poured in, the British and French no'
backing the positions which the Brit
ish alone held gallantly for so long.
The new move, when II Is made,
generally expected to conform to tn
J rule developed, that the attacks {
the Germans vary in location and ar
pear in diminishing intensity as the
. are deprived Of their principal aim {
. break through, separate the allie
armies and take the channel ports