Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-04
ALLIES EXPECT
TEUTON THRUST
BRITISH EXPERT ISSUES WARN.
ING; GERMANS REINFORCE
LINE.

the Germans now taking vigorou,
offensive attitude on the western
front was pointed out by Major Gen
eral F. B. Maurice, chief director o.
military operations at the war office
in his weekly talk to the Associated
Press.
There were two factors that con
tributed to this probability, the gen
eral said, the first being the steady
flow Of German re-enforcements from
the eastern front, and the second the
fact that the American forces were not
yet ready to take any considerable
part in the operations
WARNS OF LOSSES.
The public should be prepared, Gen
eral Maurice said, for some losses OF
both ground and men if the Germans
attempt really determined offensive
operations. They would not, however,
be able to inf1ict any such losses on
the allies as the latter had inflicted
on the Germans during the last year,
he declared.
1.-THE enemy in the last fortnight has
been attempting numerous raids, most
ly on q small SCALE" began General
Maurice. "At Cambria, however, he
tried larger operation with the OBJ
ject Of getting control of a ridge on the
British flank, whence he hoped he
could strangle the supplies to Brit
ish salient and force its withdrawal.
His attack, however, ended In an al
most complete failure, for, although he
gained few hundred yards of our
front trenches, he failed to set foot
ON the ridge anywhere.
FOES LINE STRENGTHENED.
"These attempts to take the often
sive," continued the general, ARE a
sixn of a new distribution Of the bel
ligerent forces on the western front.
The enemy Is steadily bringing
troops from Russia with the aim OF
his superiority over the
Anglo French forces. The Germans do
not possess a magic carpet and cannot
transfer troops at supernatural race,
under winter transport con-
ditions. Nevertheless, there Is steady
flow OF German troops westward.
1.-THE Germans are still long way
from having superior numbers on this
front. but the relative strength OF the
forces is already so altered that it is
doubtful whether the allied COM
manders would feel justified in under
taking offensive operations on large
scale.
OFFENSIVE is CERTAIN.
"The enemy's constantly improving
numerical position will, on the other
aand. lead inevitably to offensive OPP
erations by the Germans, but l see no
to believe that he will be able
% inflict anything like such losses on
IS as we inflicted on him during the
asst year.
Owing to our work OF the last
rear. we are in an excellent defensive
position, holding practically all the
high ground. On the other hand, we
ire everywhere on new ground where
We must prepare new defensive sys-
ems. We must be- prepared to lose
round and men If the enemy makes
determined attack with the usual
Lrtillery preparation, followed by en-
,rgetic infantry assaults, for our own
experience has taught us that 1t Is
practically always possible to move
certain distance under these condi-
ions Of attack"
PALESTINE PROGRESS SLOW.
Regarding the situation in Pales-
inc, General Maurice said:
"A word of caution is necessary
elative to the hopes of an immediate
urther advance in Palestine. The
ills of Judea are VIGOROUSLY diff
ult, the weather is unfavorable and
he roads impossible owing to the wet
eason. The transport problem, there
ore, is likely to prevent any consider
BILE movement there for some time"