Weekly journal-miner., 1918-05-29
OFFENSIVE APPARENTLY AIMED AT THE CHANNEL. PORTS AND AT PARIS
It, ASS"cIated Press

Germany has resumed her drive for decision on the western front after a lapse of nearly four weeks, striking in the south between Rheims and Soissons and in Flanders on the northern side of the Lys salient.
 While it is too carly for the true German intention to be disclosed, the effort apparently is simultaneously to push through to the channel ports in the north, thus breaking up the Brit ish front, and to strike for Paris in the south in an effort aimed mainly at the French.
 The main field of the German at e ta T, begun last March and halted after the disastrous enemy reverse in Flanders late in April-the Somme region in the direction of Amiens- has been neglected by the German command in this new thrust The possibility exists, however, that the fighting will be extended to this area as the battle develops
 The southerly blow. which covers front of 40 miles and apparently is by far the more important of the two, has come at a point which had not been considered the most prob able field for a renewal of the Ger man attempt. The fact that both British and French troops arc found holding this front, however, gives in- dications that Gen. Foch, the Allied commander-in-chiei, has hardly been caught mapping, and has large forces massed there. Ii was, indeed, on this front, between the tip of the Mont Didier salient and Rheims. that the enemy flank was most dangerously exposed and where he must have felt himself most vulnerable to a counter blow. If this attack here IS neither a demonstration in force to cover the main effort elsewhere, nor a drive at Paris, the possibility remains that it was launched with the intention oi driving the Allies from their advan- tageous positions along the Disc and the Ailette and thus forestalling a fanking counter effort by Foch's great reserve army.
 The stroke in Flanders, while of far less magnitude, covering front of less than 10 miles, is nevertheless aimed at points which the Germans must take before they can hope to carry their April advance further toward the coast.
 Behind the Locre-Voormezeele area lie the hills which constitute the backbone of the Franco-British posi- ton, only the outlying peak of which the Germans captured when they took Mount Kemmel last month. Scherpenberg, Mont Rouge, Mont Des Cats and other eminences are yet barring the way to the Germans.
 The Allied positions along both fronts under attack are notably strong. This is particularly true of the southern line, guarded by the riv CTS Cise and Ailctte and the Chemin Des Danes ridge, which the German crown prince spent many weeks last summer trying to take Not only did
 
 he fail, but he was forced still fur ther back last fall when Gen. Petain' launched a decisive blow in the Pin ion region, drove in for depth of two miles and compelled the Ger mans to fall back to the positions behind the Ailettc, where they have since remained.
 In the north the French recently have strengthened their hold on the hill region by pushing forward in the Locrc sector in local thrusts and cap turing important high ground.
 In general, the Allies seem well prepared for the thrust, and while they appear likely to be forced to give ground at points, the opinion of their high command has been reflected as confident in the ability of the Allied