Arizona republican., 1918-03-25
OPTIMISTIC VIEW
 OF SITUATION |S 1. TAKEN BY ALLIES
English Expect Hardest of All Fighting Is Yet in
 Store for Them With
 drawals in Good Order
Republican A. p. Leased Wire1


 WITH THE BRITISH ARMY IN FRANCE, March 24.-(By the Associ- ated Press)-The British and French, who cooperate at the junction Of the two armies, were viewing the trend of the German offensive with opti- mistic eyes this morning. Had fight ing was in progress, but the latest re- ports showed little or no change in the situation in favor of the enemy since yesterday. while on the otaer hand the defenders had rushed the at tacking forces back after bitter strug- gle and were holding strongly along the whole new front 10 which they had withdrawn.
 Desperate Fighting Continues
 Fighting of most desperate nature has been continuous since the initial attack, but so far the British have used few troops other than those which were holding the front lines. These troops have been making as gallant defense as was ever recorded in the annals of the British army as a result they have enabled the main body of the forces to fall back deliberately and without confusion and occupy positions which had been prepared long before the German offensive began. Germans HurI Vast Hordes l The Germans on the other hand, | operating under the eyes of the em- peror and the crown prince, have been hurling vast hordes into the fray with utter disregard for lives and have fol- lowed into the abandoned positions getting farther and farther away from their supplies and finding their com munications increasingly difficult
 More than 50 German divisions al- ready have been identified by actual contact, and many of these men were simply given two days iron rations and sent over the top into the fright ful maelstrom made by the allied ar tillery, machine guns and rifles. The slaughter of the enemy infantry as it advanced in close formation over the open has been appalling.
 Withdrawals We'll Executed 1 The British losses have been within | the bounds expected, due to the tactics of the commanders. The allies have lost a considerable number of men in prisoners and a certain number of guns But very few pieces of artillery have been taken by the Germans since the first day. In fact, the whole with draWal has been executed in a masterly manner, showing how thoroughly the British had planned for the very events which have occurred.
 It is permitted to say now what some have known for a long time, namely, that the British never intended to try to hold the forward positions in this region if the Germans attacked in force
 Harder Fighting Coming
 There is every reason to believe that harder fighting than has yet taken place will develop shortly. The Ger mans. in the British view, cannot now hesitate in carrying on their attack, , and 1t is case of break through or admit defeat. In this circumstance it is interesting to note a statement made yesterday by German officer, a pris- oner, who declared that the German offensive was an act of desperation brought on by the fact that the father land must have peace.
 However, the British take such as sertions at their face value and are proceeding accordingly.
 Main Battle Near Peronne The hardest fighting yesterday oc- cured east of Peronne and in the Bois de Genlis. The most important phase
 of the battle occurred in the latter
 nelShpornood- During the morning the , Germans had pushed southward toward Ham and had succeeded in getting a
 foothold at some points in the defenses
 to which the British had fallen back.
 The British organized a counter at-
 tack and hurled themselves against the Germans with such ferocity that the enemy was forced to give vay and the r situation was restored. This was ono , of the very few counter attacks as yet
 attempted by the British.
 Last night was fairly quiet alone ] the battle front, but this morning tho :. British again surged forward against the Germans to the southeast of Ham . while the enemy continued his assault. fl in the neighborhood of Mory, south. west of Croisilles.