New-York tribune., 1918-06-04
Captured Germans
Do Not Look for
Decisive Victory
Believe Situation in Aisne
Region Will Stabilize as
1t Did in North

WITH THE BRITISH ARMY IN
FRANCE, June 3.-German prisoners
captured by the British in the Battle
of the Aisne declare they do not be-
lieve that Won Hindenburg will achieve
a decisive victory in his new drive, but
that the situation will stabilize, as it
did in the north. These prisoners at
tribute much of the success attained
by their troops thus far to their init
mate knowledge of the ground over
which they have been fighting.
Whether these statements reflect the
opinion of the enemy higher command
is, Of course, problematical, but it
seems probable, according to the opin-
ion held here, that when Won Hinden-
burg began his assault in the Aisne
region he was prepared to abandon it
abruptly if it showed signs of failure
and strike again for Amlens or else
where in a big push on the British
front.
Everything was in readiness at that
time for offensive operations in the
latter zone, and there still seems a
possibility that were the Germans to
be held up Immediately in the present
attack they would switch to the north.
Would Exploit Success
Continuance of their progress on the
French front, however, might mean
that their success would be exploited
to the full, and that the troops which
were intended for the Amiens drive
would be used in the bid for Paris.
Expert observers on the British
front had been looking for an enemy
faint for the purposes of drawing
troops from that front, and the opin-
ion still exists that the German at
tack on the Aisne was originally in
the enemy and the hope that he hight
accomplish in u measure what he has
already done.
Every day that the fighting con-
tinues on the Aisne battlefield from
now on will detrect from the power of
the enemy to recuperate for drive
further north, and the conflict has al
ready reached a stage which would
greatly lessen the force of any blow
which the Germans might deliver on
the British front.
The Germans began their drive with
about twenty-five divisions, and up tc
definitely identified. Undoubtedly a
considerable number of other enemy
divisions had been employed and more
were held in immediate reserve
From the fftieth British division
which was holding sector of the
French line about Craonne when the
offensive started, come some interest
ing details concerning the initial on
slaught. The attack was fully expect.
ed at Craonne the night before the
Germans advanced
Anxious to Conceal Concentration
The enemy had been exceedingly
anxious that the Allies should not OBJ
tain prisoners for identification to give
away the concentration of troops, anc
no unusual movement was permitted
by day back of the hostile lines. The
enemy had done no sniping and hae
encouraged the Allies to show them
| selves.
When it became apparent that the
Germans were on the eve of a big at
tack, the Allied troops were ordered
on the alert, and for hours stood wait
ing with grim patience for the battle
! to begin. 1t was q time to try the sou
Of the sturdiest fighter.
1t is not possible to speak with GER
tainty OF the whole line involved in
the attack, but the British lines in the
Craonne sector were thinly held. Two
thousand yards away were the German
trenches, from which the British knew
countless hordes would soon pour out
against them.
At / o'clock the German artillery
began its bombardment, and the allied
guns responded vigorously. The en-
emy's bombardment was divided into
alternate periods of high explosives
and gas shells. In the final period of
the bombardment the hostile batteries
were busy hurting high explosive and
gas shells more or less indiscrimi-
J nately.
All this time the allied guns were
pounding the German lines and pos
sible concentration points neAvi;y The
trench mortars did especially fine work
and undoubtedly caused heavy losses
among the enemy storm troops.