The Washington herald., 1918-03-11

IN constant touch with the enemy.
Some Opposition.
In turbulent Russia, eight German
invading columns are sweeping toward
the interior. One hundred thousand
workmen have enrolled in the Russian
army and are rallying to the defense
OF Petrograd.
The situation Is changing with
sruptive rapidity," says the review.
The lists tabulated by the enemy. of
trains captured, of guns, stores and
other war material taken grow daily
more voluminous.
I'm Finland the Germans are operat-
ing in conjunction with the White
Guards against the Red Guards and
are in control of the line north Of
Tammerfors and Viborg. The Ger
mans have landed on the Aland Is
lands which they probably will use as
a base for an invasion OF Finland.
THE German invasion of Russia is
in full swing. One hostile column, at
least, is now meeting with some op-
position. In Esthonia the Russians
are holding OF the invaders in front Of
hamburg. This center, though occu-
pied by the enemy has been retaken
by Russian forces.
Two invading columns, making
eight in all. are making some headway
along their respective lines of ad-
vance. The Livonian column has pro-
gressed about 100 miles in five and a
half days, capturing many prisoners.
The column advancing on Smolensk
has arrived on the Dneiper and
reached a point IS miles from the city.
Two columns under Austrian con-
troll are bearing down through Pc
dolia into Northern Bessarabia. Three
Russian infantry divisions are said to
have surrendered to the Austrians.
I'm Siberia it is reported that the
6X-German war prisoners are armed
and drilling in the vicinity OF Irkutsk,
and that throughout Siberia, German
and Austrian prisoners of war are be-
ing assisted by certain Russian ele-
ments. Railway bridges east of Lake
Baikal and in the vicinity of Chita
have been destroyed as a result of
the rumor Of japanese Intervention.
West, Inportant Center.
"a detachment Of American engi-
neers is en- route for Hardin looming
out of Siberia).
In spite OF the fact that 10000
square miles of Russian territory have
been invaded during the last three
weeks and the enemy is now sweeping
forward into the heart Of Russia and
has reached a point within seventy
miles of the capital, nevertheless the
center of gravity of the war remains
in the West.
THE Germans have for the past
three and half years done all in their
tA
and shift it eastward. This explains
the successive blows struck in Russia
and later in the Italian theater. Not
the diversions of the mi
nor campaigns in Mesopotamia, Pales-
tine and the Balkan front. the key
positions of the war are France and
Flanders.
Nothing in the situation should lead
US to estimate that the Germans have
abandoned their plans of a major Of
fensiye in the West. Considering tao
tcal dispositions. we note that the
enemy has developed two principal
axes of activity. the one pivoting on
Rheims and the other in AIsace in
front of Luneville.
The allies. while assuming an alert
defensive, are resting content with al
lowing the enemy to break the
strength Of the assaults against their
impregnable line. The morale of the
French and British forces has never
been better. They are keenly anxious
to give battle to the enemy. confident
Of their superiority.
Our own forces have been con-
stantly engag ged. The scope of
their activities is being daily ex-
tended. The number of our detach-
ments in the line is increasing. We
now have troops in the trenches at
four separate points.
AT dawn on March S, the enemy
attempted a strong raid against one
OF our advance posts further south.
This thrust was repulsed with a
loss to the enemy. Our casualties
were slight and no prisoners or
missing were reported. The French
general commanding this sector
CONTINUED ON PAGE FOUR.