Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1918-05-18

ish and French there out of some of
their first-line trenches. But later in
the night tie British counter-attacked
and regained all that had been lost.
Two Hun divisions carried out this at
tack and they suffered heavy casual
ties. On Thursday morning the enemy
made Il new attack on the Flanders
front north of KENNEL and slightly
bent the British line. At the same time
troops from Nova Scotia and New
Brunswick made a great raid on the
German outpost line at NeuvilleVitas-
Sc, southeast of Arras, taking prison
ers and guns and inflicting many cas-
ualties.
Most of the American troops that
have been moved into the battle re-
gion appear to be placed along the line
between Montdidier and Noyon. and
they are giving a good account of them
selves there. as are also those hold
ing the Toul sector. There have been
no heavy operations in either sector
recently, but the artillery in both is
always active and the American gun
ners have proved their excellence. They
are now using their heavy artillery
northwest of Toul after several weeks
of preparation. The American casual
ty lists, still relatively small, are in
creasing daily.
There is no indication that the Ger
man high command will abandon its
plan of smashing the British army and
forcing a breach between 1t and the
French. LudendOrff is increasing his
resources in every way possible and
Austria and Bulgaria have been called
on to supply troops for garrison duty
in order that the Germans may be sent
to the front. Intimations such as have
appeared in some German papers that
the attempt to reach Paris will he
abandoned mean nothing. No doubt
there will he repeated great OffenSives
throughout the summer, and the allies
are preparing to resist them to the ut
IutSl. iJlClI USlHS "
tain their lines unbrOken until Amer
ica's men are there in sufficient num-
hers to enable General FOch to do more
than resist. 1t is admitted that with
out our army the allies could not gain
a military decision over the Germans
under existing conditions. How long
the German people will stand for the
slaughter of their men is another ques-
ton From captured mail ard the more
OutspOken Of their newspapers it is evi
dent they are becoming sickened by
the awful blOodshed, but they prob
ably will continue submissive so long
as they think there is a chance of
final victory.
The movement of Americans to
France continues with increasing
swiftness and it Is the avowed in
tention of the war department to have
not Tess than 100000 men there by
the end of May. The administration
and the congressional leaders, except
ing such men as Kitchin, now view the
situation comprehensively and agree
that no limit should be put on the size
of our army, as it is likely as many as
100000 men will have to be placed
under arms within three years. A total
Of about four millions will be available
Immediately. and Provost Marshal
CrOwder and others believe it will be
necessary to increase the draft age
limit to forty years within a year. In
deed. many details have been worked
out with this increase in view Classes
2, and 4 of the draft are being care
fully cOmbed out to eliminate slackers
and many names will thus be added
to class l.
Austrian reports tell of the presence
Of American troops on the Italian
front, though this had not been an
nounced by Washington. The expected
offensive on that front has not vet ma
terialized. but it is believed it will not
lie much longer delayed. because Of
the critical state of affairs in Emperor
Carts realm. Hunger and discomfort
are increasing so greatly that troops
have been concentrated in the most
disafected parts of the empire. Also
there have been serious disturbances
in the AustroHungarian fleet, the
crews of which are largely Slavs and
men Of Italian origin.
Roumsfia has submitted to what
seemed the inevitable and signed
peace treaty with the central powers.
OF course she loses much and gains
nothing. The instrument provides that
most Of the DObrudja be ceded to Bull
garia and other ROumanian territory
to Austria and Hungary; the central
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