The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-05-01
WRECKED MACHINE
LAID UP FOR REPAIRS
[Continiled from page ~

LAID UP FOR REPAIRS
CONTINUED from page ~
This means defeat for Hindenburt
\ That is why each German halt sue
az the preesnt one before Ypres is
terrifying nightmare for the Hohe1
xollern absolutists.
sian Posts on Battlefield.
TBy Henry Wood, United Press Star
Correspondent
WITH THE FRENCH ARMIES II
THE FTELD, April s. (By MALL
{ Hardly had the Germans begun theil
offensive at O'clock the morning O
March 81, than telephone mes
sage from French general headquar
tiers was sent out and instantaneous!
repeated along the whole french
front.
AS If by magic there appeared az
most Immediately thereafter at every
cross roads behind the French from
and along every route OF travel nuSe
green placards bearing simply a sb1g
black arrow.
The green placard meant that the
Germans had chosen for their field
offensive the sector of st. Quentin.
The black arrows marked every root
OF the way that the French reserves
must follow to arrive in the quickest
possible time at the point of contact
Had the Germans chosen any other
sector, for their task, this mechanism
would have worked just the same A
different colored placard would have
indicated the sector where the Ger
mans had opened battle.
AS a result Of this minute prepare
ton, every man destined long in adj
vance to meet the Germans at what
eyer point they might choose for
their offensive, was able to arrive
there in the shortest possible time,
by the quickest way.
The war long ago demonstrated
that victory in "a modern battle de-
ponds largely on transportation.
This time the. French general staff
knew four months in advance that the
Germans planned to attack and the
problem of transportation was solv-
ed in advance. The distribution OF
placards and arrows was only one de-
tail. In the four months which the
general staff had to prepare its trans
portation facilities. it worked out to
the last minute the exact time In
which every unit, every gun, every
pound Of munitions and supplies
could reach-by horse, automobile or
train any point at which the Ger
mans might attack. When the NOM
ent came, 1t was only necessary to
touch button, as 1t were, and the
general staff knew the moment at
which every man and every gun
would be at the point of contact.
- he Not IL
during the first days of the German
artillery, reaches of infantry, conveys
u munitions, automobiles and trains
81 army wagons rolling up to the
front in the most matter of fact.
lnhurried, .unworried, mechanical
manner It is possible to conceive.
It was precisely this preparation
hat allowed the French troops, with
,nly minimum number of men en-
ragged, to fall quietly into the breach
made between the British and
French line, and while covering the
'etreat of the British to aid in check.
ng the German advance.
Conference Of Teutons.
ZURICH. May Emperor Karl,
s0reign Minister BuTian and their
taffs are going to German headquar-
ers to confer with the kaiser, accord
1g to advices received from Austrian
ources today
The greatest Importance is attached
D the conference. It Is believed the
nture of Ukraine and the Balkans will
e discussed
Praise for Divisions.
LONDON, May 1.-THE enemy's eff !
ort to break down the resistance of |
he British army undoubtedly will !
all, If all continue to show the reso- !
lite and determined courage cfarac- |!
erizing the nineteenth DIVISION Field |
1arshaf Hafg declared today in a i
eneral order congratulating the sec.
nd army.
Other divisions congratulated were |
ne ninth, twenty-fifth, thirty first,
orty-ninth and twenty-f1rst.
Artillery Active.
PARIS, May 1.-Arthillery was ac-
i've near Villers-Bretonneux and on
9th sides Of the Avre, the French
rar office reported today
French patrols brought in prisoners
n Lorraine. On the remainder of the
ront the night was quiet
There was heavy rain today. The
americans are digging in and erect
1g wire entanglements
In the sea of mud there are no
helters. the men in the front lying
faist deep in the trenches and shell