Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-25

The Worlds Greatest Battle.

The German drive against the British
front continues with undated fury, but
a reading Of the messages that come in
| streams from many points indicates that
| progress is made at a slower rate. Con-
fidence is strong that the Germans are
finding it increasingly difficult and costly
in lives, and that the drive will be
stopped. Hope is still lively that when
the German advance shall have been
checked the British and French will
have sufficient force in reserve to hurl
back the Germans across the land over
which they once were driven and over
which they have just pressed forward.
From a point on the Scarpc river FIVE
miles east of Arras to a point touching
the west side of the forest of Courey,
ten miles south of the Disc river and
fifteen miles cast of the city of Noyon
"a line distance of sixty miles, nearly
north and south-thc British have been
beaten back. This is the latest possible
fitting of the incoming dispatches to the
map. At the north end of the battle
line at the Scarpe the retreat of the
British has been slight, and at the south
end near Courcy also slight. But along
forty five miles of the line the British,
at last accounts, have been forced back
from five to fifteen miles, the greatest
depth of retreat being from a point
near Ca1nbrai on the north to st.
Quentin on the south-a line distance
north and south of close upon twenty
five miles. West by south from Cam
brai the British line is back to the east
side of Bapaume, a retreat of ten miles,
and west by north of st. Quentin the
British are back to Peronne. about fif-
teen miles.
AT Bapaume and Peronne the battle
wages with greater intensity than else
where, unless it be at Chauny, near the
south end CT the battle line, twenty
five miles south of Peronne. All the
rest of the line is holly engaged, but the
most stupendous battles, or parts of the
great battle. are raging at the points
named. as though these are the places
where the Germans are trying with all
their might to overwhclm the British and
make breaches in the line which re-
serves will not be strong enough and
quick enough to close.
The reports from the fighting at these
places is encouraging. The British are
holding. The longer they hold the less
likely viii it be that the Germans can
pass.
Significant is the report that French
are reinforcing the British at Chauny,
north of the south end of the line
also is it that the north end
of the British line is firm. The indi-
cations seem to be that the weight of
the Germans is being thrown from
Bapaume to Peronne and to Ham, fif-
teen miles south of Peronne. Perhaps
this is the front, twenty five miles long,
where this battle will be fought to q
finish.
The commanders on the field in COM
munieation with every point know as
much as can be known about conditions
and operations. At this distance, with
a mass Of press dispatches, some of them
containing fragmentary official an
nouncements, the element Of conjecture
mIst he larpe and nronhecies ara o,,f
of order. But the faith and confidence
OF everybody not q Hun is that the
brave and gallant troops fighting for
civilization will win in the end, and that
the end viii be soon.