The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-04-29
OLD GLORY
ON BATTLE LINE
CONTINUED from page IL

v power, said the statement, adding.
Ours is the imperative duty of pro
viding replacement units for the
armies in France. We must be able
to put fresh men in the field thorough
" and methodically trained In add
ton to those already called to the col
Ors and now training at our ctnton
ments or already selected for service
very large quotas will be required III
the 7mmediate future to fill the gaps
This warning apparently was in
tended to prepare the nation for calls
even larger than those listed for the
coming month or two.
Admitting the gravity of the situa
ton, the statement declared the
crises up to the present have resulted
in large measure favorably to the
enemy" but pointed out that with
joint allied command the Boche has
failed in his purpose of wrecking the
British army
The summary announced for the
nrst time as far as the department is
concerned that American troops are
located east of Amiens, have had a
part in the struggle which kept the
Germans off Amiens the past week,
and have acquitted themselves we'll"
The Germans are relying principal
ly on rifles, machine guns, man-power
and carefully thought out methods of
transporting and supplying munitions
to the front Of attack under all condi-
tons" said the statement This
means that they have developed mobil-
lty or offensive action that can only
be met by counter measures OF equal
potency and flexibility.
"a battle of such magnitude as the
one being fought in the west cannot
be decided by any single engagement
The vigorous attacks driven
against the British lines were intended
to raralyze the independent will pow
er. of the British command. In this
the enemy has failed. Unity of COM
mand of the allies has extended OPP
erations to the broader field of general
engagements in which all the allied
forces will henceforth be used inter-
changeably.
This change in the combat situa-
ton has materially altered the mo-
nent of decision of the offensive. In
stead of the enemy being able to de-
feat the British army and then turn
fits full energy against the French,
the allies are now able to oppose their
full strength to the hostile attack.
at must constantly be borne in
mind that the enemy is seeking a de-
cision that will end the war This de-
cision can only be arrived at by the
destruction of the allied forces in the
field before fresh units contributed
from additional levies in France and
Great Britain as well as by our own
troops, can take up their position in
sufficient numbers to turn the German
successes to. defeat"
Then follows the warning that
America must be ready to supply
many men for the struggle.
Reviewing the military operations
of the week, the statement pointed out
that the southern end of the front had
been well held but that the Flanders
region was less satisfactory" Mill
tary men see the dangerous possibil-
lty that the British will be forced to
yield the vitality important Ypres and
there is even some fear that the TerI-
ton will reach the channel ports
Concerning the battle of Seichprey
Involving American forces. the state
ment said:
''On a frontage of approximately
three kilometers in the vicinity OF
Seicheprey, the enemy swept over our
front lines. Our men were driven out
OF the village which the enemy was
able to hold temporarily. During the
night, the Germans evacuated the DO
sition captured and we were able to