Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-27
Holds Situation to Be More
Hopeful, But Stn Ex- =.
ceedinyb Grave.
GERMAN GAINS EFFECTED
BY WEIGHT OF NUMBERS
But Now Two-Thirds of Strategic
Reserves Have Been Thrown Into
the Conflict.

By the Associated Prerx
LONDON, March 2Z33The situation
hast night was undoubtedly more hope.
full than it has been since the battle boz
gan" says the Times today, but it il
still exceedingly grave, for, although tho
enemy's rush in the northern section il
apparently held, there is clearly a race
against time in progress in the south
and everything depends upon the nezt
few hours.
eve regard today and tomorrow "a
very critical The enemy south of the
Somme has crossed the 1916 a3lied limo
from point near Bray to near Roye,
but southeast Of Roye he is still within
the 1916 line. This i the point which
gives the most anxiety, and also IL
most ground for hope"
Germans Using Up Reserves =
Teaegraphang iaks ON Tassdax a.
correspondent OF tho Daily Nan q
British headquarters in France. says
that nearly two-thirds Of the enttns
strategic reserve Of the German army
now has been thrown into the nesos
and vigorously continued attack.
Tho German reserve" he adds, ~con-
sisted of eighty-five divisions, totAlfnG
1,275,000 men, out of total number
dred divisions. or possibiy 1000. 900
men, which they have upon the western
front After the first day thirty-three
OF these divisions were put into the
ty-one are known to have taken part.
Since then they must have drawn upon
the reserve for a few more divisions
1t is therefore clear that we have
been struggling with the whole avail
able strength Of the German army. and
the marvel 10 that our soldiers have
held out SO obstinately and steadily
against odds SO heavily against them.
How Numbezs Help Hum.
In the German Tactics Of pushing IN
by sheer weight Of numbers, the non
commissioned oh1osrs have proved
themselves very valuable. according to
a correspondents OF the Daily Mail
They have led and rallied their men
with energy and tact" he writes. we
have been told sometimes By people
who pretend to understand the German
army that in these very qualities nom
commissioned officers would be found
lacking" s--z
"Anothsr cause Of the proxres. Of tho
Germans has been the rapfdiy with
which they have brought MP their gums.
Furthermore, the German eupariority
in numbers made it possible for the men
to obtain rest La no casa have the
same Germans fought on two consecu-
tive days, and there were SUFFICIENT
forces to admit Of relief being given to
tired men on crucial days OF assault A
for our own men, each night I have
n uba
when relieved that they dropped down
and slept where they fell"
British Want More News.
Some of the newspapers criticise the
government on the ground that the
war office reports arc tardy and lack
frankness. The Chronicle says:
I'VE are loath to criticise our au.
thorities at such q time. bat II 10 i'm.
possible to commend the recent ways
Of treating the news When the French
have to give up an important town
they say so, as yesterday in the case OF
Noyon. The British bulletins have left
us to learn of nearly all such occur
r issns rom ,hn the enemy, and yesterdays
was delayed for reasons which CA
only be conjectured for hours
The matter il one which the govern.
ment had better set right without more
delay
The Nail publishes a dispatch from
its New York correspondent. who says
the desire Is expressed in the United
States for greater frankness in the
British reports This newspaper up
holds the British practice, saying:
Good military authorities point out
that during a retreat the advancing
force knows best exactly what Is hap.
pening."
Fewer Prisoners Significant.
LONDON. March 25.-The Manchester
Guardian says a significant feature OF
the situation on the battle front is
that after three days fighting the
enemy claims only 5000 prisoners more
than after the second day, which means
that the British withdrawal after the
rupture of the front west OF St Quen-
tin was made in excellent order. The
regards this as a good omen
for the future