The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-04-03
REVIEW OF WAR NEWS.
GERMANS HALTED IN ALL BUT
ONE SECTOR TO SOUTH
ALLIES MAKE LOCAL
GAINS.
French Attack Upon Hun Lines From
Lassigny to NOyon Continues But
Reports are as Silent as the Pro-
Sress Made-German Advance Con-
vergfng OH Amiens.

verging OH Amiens.
After eight days, during which it
has swept forward over the rolling
hills OF Picardy, at times like tidal
wave, the German offensive has slow
ed down. Instead of a sweeping adj
vance, its progress has been checked
at all but one sector of the front, and
there il has been merely creeping for
the last two days--this fact is even,
admitted by the German war Office.
which usually comedies nothing
From Albert south to Montdidier
there has been a slow movement Brit
ish lines have been holding stubbor-
Iy and have thrust back the Ger
mans. The French reports are silent
as to tt. progress upon the line from
Lassigny to Noyon, except to say that
the attack is continuing and that fresh
French troops are arriving in this re-
gion. Nothing has developed to show
that this is more than a purely local
engagement fought for the purpose
OF preventing the Germans from
reaching the Disc river, and having
this stream as an additional protection
to their left flank. - FL.
From Albert south to Mont Didier
there has been a slow movement to
the west, but the hills west of Mont
didier are still being held by the
French. No ground has been made
against the French along the south
ern side Of the salient driven into the
allied Lines. while it is asserted that
the French counter-atack from Las
signy to Noyon is still going on. The
extreme depth Of the German wedge
now is about thirty-seven miles.
Meanwhile, the allied world is await.
ing for the Entente forces to- strike
back at the Germans.
When This blow, if it comes. will
fall, Or where, is as yet sealed i'm the
minds of the men directing the pro-
gress or the military affairs for the
Allies. but seemingly it must come
soon, if it is to be effective. The Ger.
man advance now is converging on
Amiens, the railroad center OF North.
ern France. which is known to be the
point from which run the main COM
munica- ons of the British army in
Northern France. The railroad from
Paris to Amiens was cut by Ger
mans al Mont Didier, but this would
not be vital if Amiens itself is held
by the Allies. .g..S
The German thrust in front of Ar
ras, while. according to Berlin. it
netted thousands of prisoners, has apa
parently come to stop before Or.
ange HiIl, Telegraph Hill and the
Labyrinth, strongholds held by the
British in this sector. Repeated mass
attacks oy the Germans on these
points have resulted in terrible losses
to them, without however. breaking
the line and causing more. than "A,
Strengthening of the front before Ar
ras.
A German official statement de-.
ciares that since the offensive began
10000 pris ..ers and LOO guns have
been taken. ..,...-,
The Entente forces opposing Ger.
many in France are for the first time
during the war fighting under the CON-
troll OF single commander. Gen. Foch.
the great French strategist, to whom
mas been accorded much of the credit
FOR the victory of the Marne in Sem
tember, 1914, is generalissimo of. tho
Entente Allied armies in France
This report was received Friday morn
ing in the form Of an official disnatcb
from London, but in the evening. it
was officially confirmed by advices to
Washington from Paris.
Early in the day President Wilson
sent a personal cable message of
congratu. lion to Gen. Foch. and Cen,
Pershing placed at the disposal NJ tho
french commander the American
iorces now on French soil. Ger.
Foch is given supreme command over
all the men on the battle lines. and
In addition has a strategic reserve
force, the siz and location of which
Is not known out which. judging from
reports. is ry large.
while 1T h@s been officially reported
from Rome that Austrian divisions
from Russia and Galicia, numbering
approximately 100000 men. have ar
rived on the Italian front, there have