Evening star., 1918-06-12

, that the Germans suffered heavy
losses and left more than a thou
sand prisoners and some guns in the
| hands of the French.
May Decide the Victor.
PARIS. June 12-Today's fighting
| probably will decide on which side VIC
tory viii rest in the present battle. says
Henri Bidou. the military critic. In re-
viewing the situation. He says the
fighting is taking the classical form In
which each side has won on one wing
The scales are now even.
BY their counter attack the French
stopped the enemy from carrying out
his plan and at the same time assured
themselves of a better line of defense.
The Germans now are obliged. M. Bidou
DeneVes, to keep their electives on the
firing line and to dip into their stock
Of reserves for fresh divisions.
The German plan for the present bat
tie. says Marcel Hutin OF Echo de
Paris. in reporting the statements of
prisoners. included the attacking and
storming Of Compiegne by the cavalry
Of the guard under Gen. Won Schoeler on
Sunday evening. Now the Germans not
only are not at Compiegne. but they show
great deal less vigor in their efforts
except on their left.
Advantages Undone.
The brilliant counter attack de-
livered by the French left has un-
done most of the advantages gained
by the Germans in the first two days
OF the battle, threatening as it does
the flank of the enemy coumns in
the center marching on Compeigne,
from which they are now only six
miles away.
Tha no;nt xl... &c.,.
Germans In the center is extremely
precarious unless the enemy succeeds
IN nanking 1t by gaining possession of
the heights on either side.
This the Germans secured Monday
by the. capture of Merry plateau on
their right and Thiescourt wood on
their left. Tonight they have lost the
former. and their efforts to improve
the situation on their left have been
baff1ed by the French, who held firm
ly. II anything. the German center Is
In greater danger than before, mas
much as 1t has advanced further.
Wastage Of Manpower.
After three days of fighting. in which
the Germans have incurred a serious
wastage of manpower, the general
situation snanan h.I remains mains unchanged The
piegne, his immediate objective His
advance on the right bank of the
Disc is not sufficient to place in
jeopardy the allied positions on the
Aisne. At the other extremity of the
battle line, the Montdidier plateau,
the situation has not been changed.
Ground Heaped With Dead.
The ground over which the French
advanced in their counter attack
Tuesday was literally heaped with
-
spondent at the front. In retakine'
Belloy and reaching the southernbut-
skirts of st. Maur the French sur
prised the Germans. who until ther
had thought they were masters of the
situation. The Germans retired in
disorder and brought horses to the
first line at full gallop in order to
carry away their guns.
The ardent and valiant counter at
tack, the correspondent says, proved
that the French have not lost their
hitting power.
British Repulse Germans.
LONDON, June 12.-An enemy raid
ing party last night attacked the
British post in Aveluy wood, but was
repulsed, the war Office announced to-
day. The British carried out a sue
cessful raid in the Boyelles region.
a few prisoners.
There was sporadic activity by the
enemy artillery during the night in
the region west of Lens
LONDON, June 11.-Field Marshal
Haig's report from the British front
tonight says:
"The number of prisoners captured
by US in a successful operation car
ried out last night south of Morlan-
court Is 29s. including five officers.
There is nothing further of special
interest to report"
Attack Of African Troops.
LONDON, June 12.-Among the
notable feats of arms during Monday
night, says Reuters correspondent
at French headquarters. was the
counter attack of native
African troops. supported by tanks.
which enabled the French to retake
La Porto farm, on . crest $40 feet
high, just west Of the Compiegne
road. together with the high groGcS