The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1918-04-04
Thirteenth Day of Great Battle
+ Sees Great German Machine
Almost Utterly Spent.
DEATH TOLL sTAGGERS
Some Enemy Divisions Show Loss
p of Seventy Per Cent of Effect
H. ives-Americans Anxious
To Enter Fray.

. In Northern France, April 4.-Local
attacks on the battlefront in northern
France have kept both sides fairly
busy in the outpost areas while back
of the lines the preparations went on
for the indicated renewal of the en-.
gagement on vast scale. Fortified
by the news that the powerful Allied
reserve is as yet virtually intact and
by apparent evidences of Teutonic
nervousness as the crisis approaches,
Entente opinion views the outlook
hopefully.
Foe Machine Almost Spent.
London, April 4.-There came in
creasing evidence, with the passing
of the thirteenth day of the new bat
tie of the Somme, that the great
German machine with which it was
intended to crush the Allied lines,
has almost spent itself.
Where previously the Germans had
thrown men into the fray not count
ing the prodigious wastage, they now
decline anywhere to give battle. On
the contrary the British and French
troops took the initiative.
Thus it seems apparent, with the
reserve forces of the Allies virtually
intact and with the added weight
General Pesrhing's troops will give
them, the turn in the tide of the bat
tie is at hand.
Allied Reserves Intact.
While admittedly both the French
and British armies have suffered
rather severe casualties in impeding
the Germans and making them pay an
unheard of price for every gain, their
reserves have been conserved for the
time when the whitening fire of the
Allied artillery and machine guns
should have so blighted the German
hordes as to bring nearer equality
in strength. And, all along, the
British and French commanders have
not left outside their calculations
that staunch band of Americans ex-
ceeding 100000 men, who are fully
trained and equipped and anxious to
lend their aid in defeating the Ger
mans.
Daily the figures on German losses
in men killed or wounded continue
to augment as details are obtained
from prisoners. Some divisions lost
as high as 20 per cent of their effect
iveness. Companies withdrew from
the fighting with their combative
strength reduced to 40 men.
No chs.~:.g--ji, Front.
The latest accounts show no i'm
portant new change in the battle
front. The fighting between the big
guns was particularly heavy between
Montdidier and Noyon where the bat.
tie line bends eastward and which is
a danger spot of great Importance to
the Germans.
There is no indication as yet that
an infantry attack is contemplated.
In addition to continuation of their
bombardment of Paris with long
range gun, two squadrons of aircraft
early Tuesday morning attempted to
reach Paris, but the French barrage
held them off.
Bad Weather In Italy.
Bad weather again is hindering op-
erations in the Italian theater, but
nevertheless at several points in the
mountains Austro-Gerpan troops
were successfully driven back
In Palestine the British forces who
penetrated Turkish territory north
east of Jericho have carried out their
objective in cutting the Hedjaz rail
way and now have begun to retire to
ward Es-SaIt.