Evening star., 1918-04-12
Kaiser's Fear of Allied Thrust
in Somme Region Reason fo.ss
vaIueIess Advance. 81,
MILITARY EXPERTS HERE 1
SATISFIED WITH RESULTS
Splendid Morale Shown by Britisk
in Withdrawal From Armentieres;s
Smash Teuton Momentum.

Results of the fighting in the Armsns
there's region today were regarded a
most satisfactory by military experts
here.
The outcome, so far, Of the GermaA
drive at new point, officers say, indis
Gated the splendid morale Of the Eng
lish troops, and the withdrawal froM
Armentieres gave the Germans q post
tion of no present military value, ana
resulted in heavy losses to the enemy.
Moreover, the attack in the Armeas
there's region was regarded by experts
here as indicative of the German BELIEF
that a counter attack is expected from
the allied forces in the Somme region,
and that the Prussian generals are sesk-
ing to begin series Of attacks ut pointg
elsewhere along the western front n
order to avoid too extensive mobilixa-
tion for counter attack.
German Positions Untenable.
Though the time has passed for the -
pected allied counter offensive, which
normally would have taken place before
the Germans had a chance to dig in. IN
prospect OF an operation OF this kind hAo
not passed, experts say. They congtdx
that such an operation il likely sooner ~
later, and when 1t does come the GermenD
win have worked themselves into . -
sition which will render their present pop
sitfons, from Arras to Noyon, with u
peak of their wedge at Amfena unfenahte
The British have not permitted the neY
thrust to gain momentum, despite tbo
evacuation Of Armentieres- They haSe
retained the ridge about Wytschase
which is the strategic position In ta8
of military vantage, and no Longer 10 =
supply base for the British forceA
In their conclusion that the GsFEnnn
drive in this region 10 calculated 70 ses9.
siniiaE danger in their principal frpnk g.
operations farther south, officeFs pq11e
out that the advanced German troops -
the AmienS action are about twenty -nye
or thirty miles beyond the general trend
Of the line they assaulted when the 6E159
began. The width OF the break In thAk
line is between dfty and sixty miieA -
May Cover Up Withdrawal.
Some oflcers still are Of the opinion
that activity on either the italian or
the eastern fronts in Mesopotamia cf
Palestine is to be expected Especially
the Turks have been holding their own
against increasing British pressure. an4
little aid was given them while Ger.
many was busy with Russia. There ~
on the italian front within the la
week meant renewed operations ther4
or simply was conducted to cover uDc
the withdrawal of troops and keep the
Italians guessing.
The present situation on the wsstsrn
front fulfills to a marked degree FORE
casts Of the Versailles military ex-
perts, that the German drive might b
successful in penetrating the lines ~
the extent of one-half Of the width Of !;
the sector assailed. and 1t is assume4
that the allied council confidently oai-
culated when the prediction was made
that, having driven this far. the enemy
would be compelled to seek to widsa
his battle front.
Basis Of Allied View.
What considerations entered into fhe
formulation of the Versailles predicAe
tion are unknown. Some officers think,
however. that experience has taught
the generals who formed 1t that no att
tack against fortified line can b
safe If the base Of the triangle. thu
front Of attack, is less than double tbs
length of the distance penetrated.
The extremes of the allied line noW
assaiied from south to north are mor0
than 100 miles apart. II the whole Ger
man movement is regarded as one ses-
tion. 1t was suggested today THAT the
Germans might plan transfer Of the
weight of their assault northward, -
as to throw the apex of their wedeo
toward a point on the coast west Of
Bou1ogne and Calais, the main BrttisA
bases at the narrowest point in ths
channel
The only other theory advanced ID
nj nf nj
was that it might constitute a wholly
separate operation. aimed directly at
these two ports.
The success of an enterprise against
the channel ports obviously would
have most disastrous effect upon the
allies. 1t Is over the narrow channel
that millions Of men and tons of sup
plies have been transported from Eng.
land. Nets and other precautions hava
defied the submarine as they could mot