The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-06-08

HUNS May drive
At AMERICANS ON
ST. MIHIEL FRONT
New Offensive Likely to Head
Off American Plans.
Yankees In W0evre Are Not Far
From the Rhine.
PROTECT FLANKS OF VERDUN
German Successes Here Would
Be Disastrous to Allies.
Americans Now in Several Hot.
Iy Contested Sectors.


Iy Contested Sectors.
With the American army in France,
Friday. June Reports of recently
heavy German train movements from
the direction of Metz toward the St
Mihiel sector has aroused discussion In
the American expeditionary forces as
to whether the enemy is planning an
assault in the Woevre.
From a tactical point of view the
neighborhood of st. Mthfel with us
sharp salient offers a logical place FOR
a German attack.
Would Outflank Verdun.
A drive thru st. Mihiel to the
southwest, 1t is considered, might have
a triple object-the menacing OF Bar
LIE Due, the outflanking of Verdun
from the rear and the elimination OF
the salient which has it's apex at YER
dun.
Fer the moment at least, perhaps
permanently the allies have stopped
the enemy at the Marine. Many en-
gagements of a tactical nature may pc
expected, even If the Germans decide
1t is useless to continue their efforts
along the Marine and elect to hit the
allied line at other places.
The position of the railway and the
formation of the terrain northwest
and of Bar LIE Due offer the
Germans an opportunity. OF course
what the future holds for the Amer.
can forces around st. Mihiel is not
known; but the salient there Is be-
ing discussed as a possibility not to
fbe iost4ight of.
Sure Of Hard Fighting.
Another place which is likely to see
more fighting is the sector around
Montdidier where American troops re-
Gently captured Cantigny. Another I'M
portant point at which American
troops are stationed is the territory
around ChateauThierry. 1t may be
considered certain that-whatever the
future holds, the American forces I'M
doubtedly will participate: in some
hard fighting.
Huns to Try n Fourth Drive.
WILLIAM PHILLIP SIMMS.
With the British Armies in France.
June S.-Hindenburg's third often
sive at stand still. When and where
he will begin his fourth is the ques-
ton occupying the allied commanders.
German prisoners all reflect the
general opinion on the enemy side OF
the line that for Germany it is ques-
ten to their talk without realizing the
utter folly of considering that the
great offensive has spent itself.
Yet Harder Fighting to Come.
Despite the colossal number of
troops so far flung against the allies,
the most desperate blows are ahead.
In 1917 the kaiser had on the west
f,at 12S German DIVISIONS G,SsS,.
and Rumania II divisions (924,000
menu Since March 81 Hindenburg
has actually used against the allies be-
tween $50 and 10 divisions O,92O,-
900 meu) or over 35 more than he had
holding the entire front at this time
in 1917.
There are now between the North
sea and Switzerland more than 200 d.
visions (2,400,000 mem and it is esti-
mated that there are slightly under
thirty-five divisions (420,00O mem
Atill on the east front.
Hindenburg's Forces Grow.
This shows that Hindenburg some
how has increased the number of his
divisions by nearly forty divisions
(4S0,o0O men). He did this in two
ways.
First, by recruiting new classes of
younger men and by a great increase
of other classes, and second, by re-
ducing somewhat the size of his di-
visions and bringing half way good d.
visions from the east front.
There are no wbaout eighty divi-
sions 100000 mem more on the west
front than year ago. Perhaps near
1y a score of them, facing the allies
may be rated as per figures. But they
are capable of holding quiet sectors
while the better troops continue the
offensive.
Altho Austria, Bulgaria and Turkey
may not send troops to this front,
there is no doubt that certain OF these
countries are lending men to Germany
for maintaining lines of communica-
ton in the interior, thus freeing Ger
man troops for service in France.
Using Up German Reserves.
Hindenburg still has a colossal army,
but only a few absolutely fresh divi-
sions are now in reserve and have not
participated in the three offensives.
1t is calculated that nearly twenty d.
visions (240.000 men) must all the
while have been in quiet sectors. More
than twenty divisions have not been in
the fight for some weeks and doubt
less are undergoing refitting and spe-
cial training. making a total of per-
haps fifty fairly fresh divisions (600.-
900 men) available in addition to those
already on the battlefields.