Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-04-30
HEAVY DRAFTS
must REPLACE
ALLEN ALLIES
Americas Imperative Duty
Is To Fill Gaps On
West Front.

MAN POWER TO DECIDE
OUTCOME OF BIG FIGHT
Washington, D. c., April 29.-Formal
announcement that American troops
sent to reinforce the allied armies,
have taken part in the fighting is made
today by the wxr department in its
weekly review Of the situation.
Our forces have taken part in the
battle says the statement briefly.
American units are in action east of
Amiens. During the engagements
which have ragged in this area they
have acquitted themselves well. The
review in emphasizing the immediate
need Of fresh men to Withstand the
German onslaught, adds that Ameri-
cas- imperative duty is to provide re-
placement units for the French front.
LARGE QUOTAS NEEDED.
"In addition to those already called
to the colors," says the statement,
''and those In training at our canton.
ments or already selected for service,
very large quotas will be required in
the immediate future to NIL the gaps -
In this connection, the review points
out that the enemy is seeking a de-
cision that will end the war and the
outcome Of the present operations de-
pend upon man power.
The statement mentions the attack
on American positions at Sieche-
prey, northwest of Toul. Here on
April 20, the review says, the Germans
swept over American lines on front
of three kilometers. but subsequently
gave up the ground occupied.
MAN POWER TO DECIDE.
The departments statement says:
-e..ThA< hpspeeeealSG 81 Asrp-
tionS In the west depends on man
power
'"rhe Germans are relying particu-
llarly on rifles. machine guns, man
power and carefully thought out meth
DDS Of transporting and supplying
munitions to the front Of attack under
all conditions, which means that they
have developed more ability of Of
fensive actions that can only be met
by counter measure Of equal potency
and fexibility.
&. "A battle of such magnitude as the
one being fought in the west cannot
be decided by any single engagement,
yet there arise a series Of crises on
which the ultimate outcome depends.
These crises have. up to the present
in large measure resulted favorably
to the enemy.
ALLlEe' STRENGTH UNITED.
:The vigorous attacks driven
against the British lines were intend
ed to paralyze the Independent will
power Of the British command. In
this the enemy has failed. Unity Of
command of the allies has extended
operations to the broader field of gen
eral engagements in which the allied
forces benceforth will be used inter
changeably.
\ "This change in the combat situa-
tion has materially altered the moment
Of decision of the offensive. Instead
Of the enemy being able to defeat the
British army and then turn It's full
energy against the French, the allies
now are able to oppose their. full
united strength to the hostile attack.
"It must be borne In mind that the
enemy is seeking decision that will
end the war. This decision can be
arrived at only by the destruction Of
the allied forces in the field before
fresh, units contributed from addition
al levfes in France and Great Britain,
as well as by our own troops, can take
UP their position in sufficient num-
bers to turn the German successes to
defeat.
AMERICAS DUTY
"Ours is the imperative duty OF
providing replacement units for the
armies in France. We must be able
To put fresh men in the field thorough
ly and methodically trained. In ad-
dttion to those already called to the
colors and now training at our can
tonments or already selected for ser
vice, very large quotas will be re-
auired In the immediate future to I'LL
the gaps.
Operations OF the week reveal that
the enemy, taking advantage Of the
reentering angles stretching from the
Avre northward and from Wystchaete
to Dranoutre has resumed operations
after a period OF relative calm.
soMME FRONT STRONG.
'Tt il not difficult to follow the
stragetic conception Of the German
higher command. An enveloping
movement is outlined which on the
one hand Is to force the retirement OF
the British front and, II wholly sue
cessful, result in the capture Of both
Arras and Amiens; on the other, by
the occupation Of the important
heights west Of KENNEL to wipe out
the Ypres salient and throw the Brit
ish line back of Hazebrouck and Pop
eringhe.
"ln the south. the thrust towards
Amiens has been well contained. The