Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-05-27
BIG GUNS OPEN
FIRE ON PARIS
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tlefront as far east as Rheims, taking
in a new sector which has been quiet
since last fall The thrust between
Locre and Voormezeele is along the
northern leg of the Flanders salient
on a SECTOR measuring about eight
miles, where the Germans met with
one of the bloodiest defeats of the
war when their drive for the chan
mel ports was halted last month.
The attack between scissors and
Rheims, however, is the distinctive
feature of the new German opera
ton. This battle is being fought
along the sector which usually is re-
ferred to as the Aisne front, owing
TO the fact that for a long time the
line of battle followed the Aisne riv-
er. The present battleline runs
along the Ailette river, north of the
Aisne, over the larger part of this
sector. the French having advanced
their line. The front of attack is
about forty miles. which is about
fifteen miles shorter than the line of
the original German attack this
spring. on March 81
Hope For supreme Attack
In turning to new sector to strike
their blow the Germans have taken
course contrary to that which has
generally been predicted by military
Commentators in the last few weeks,
during the pause in the operations.
The German strategy may contem-
plate a surprise attack in sufficient
strength to compel General Foch to
withdraw troops from the north, in
the hope of involving the Allies suf-
ficiently or the Aisne front to weak
en- their lines in Picardy and Flan-
ders.
Yankees May BE in 1t
If the Germans counted on the ele-
ment of surprise to assist them in
the new attack, they probably have
fallen into a miscalculation. 1t Is
evident from the official British
statement that new dispositions of
troops have been made along the
Aisne front.
American troops may be aking
part in the new battle. Early in the
spring there were several references
in news dispatches to the presence
of Americans at that part of the line.
Part of these forces consisted of ar
tillery detachments in training, but
at one point, at least infantrymen
were in the trenches. There has
been no recent reference to Amer
leans there, however, and they may
have been withdrawn.
Line Well Defended
The front between Scissors and
Rheims is a difficult one, Offering the
Allies excellent facilities for the de-
fense. The country is hilly, with
series of strong natural positions to
the rear of the Allied lines. The
Germans already have sustained two
severe defeats on this front. Last
July they undertook what is usually
referred to as the Grown Princes
offensive" which met with the same
fate as all the other military ven
lures of the heir to the German
throne He carried on the attack for
several weeks and met with costly
failure. Lact October the French
launched an attack and won a brill
liant success, taking 1900 prisoners
the first day. The enemy was driven
out the Aisne valley and the line was
advanced to the Ailette. the Germans
losing all the long-disputed ridge OF
the Chemin- -des-Dames.
1t is believed the Prussian rulers
are being pushed from behind. The
internal condition of Germany and
Austria is such that a brilliant vic
tory is imperatively necessary, un-
less the morale of both empires is to
collapse with crash. A few days ago
the meat ration in Germany was re-
duced from nine ounces head week.
ly to five and half ounces. The utter
failure of the Ukraine to carry out
the undertaking of delivering wheat
to Germany and Austria is beyond
question.
The Stuttgart Tageblatt and other
German papers state openly that
down to May IL. instead of 100000
tons promised from the Ukraine. less
than a third of that quantity had
been sent to the Central Empires.
and even of that quantity, owing to
transport and other difficulties, less
than 1900 tons reached Germany.