Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1918-04-11
Germans Open Great Attack on
the British but Fail to
Break Through.
LOSSES ARE TREMENDOUS
Halo's Men Retire to Prepared Line Of
Defenses Along the Somme-Amerl-
cans and French Support Them
Paris SheIled by New Gun
Of Immense Range.
BY E. w. PIcKARD.

a quarter of million or more Ger
mans killed and wounded; the Brit
ish forces pushed back from nine to
fifteen miles between Monchy and La
Fere over the ground which the Ger
mans abandoned and devastated many
months ago, but still keeping unbroken
their lines along previously prepared
positions on the Somme. These, at the
end of the week, were the net results
Of the kaiser's great spring drive,
which began Thursday morning as ad-
vertised.
Despite the loss of ground and esti-
mated casualties of 100000 among the
British the allies and the United
States had no cause to be respondent,
for the Hun had so far failed of his
purpose, which was to smash the Brit
ish armies, break through their lines
and make the battle decisive. If in
the subsequent fighting his success is
not far greater than it has been to the
time of writing, it may truly be assert
ed that he has met a tremendous de-
feat.
Starting out with q bombardment
hitherto unequaled, the Germans hurl-
ed themselves against the British de-
lenses in wave after wave of troops
in close formation, and with such tar
gets the British machine gunners and
riflemen moved them down by the thou
sands until they were fairly wearied
with killing. But with at least 100000
men engaged the Germans were en-
abled to fill the gaps in their ranks and
kept moving forward, though much
more slowly than their schedule Of OPP
erations called for. Haig's men, fighting
calmly, fell back In good order, their
commanders saving them from being
! slaughtered and keeping them fresh by
| frequent shifts. Their retirement had
been foreseen and though their first
line of defenses was abandoned, the
| enemy by Saturday night had broken
through the second line at only two
| points, and the third line was consid-
cred impregnable.
Emperor William himself was in
command of his armies, with the
crown prince, Won Hindenburg and Luz
dendOrff, and he sent to his wife a
| jubilant telegram making claims of
victory not at all justified by the facts.
In truth, what the Germans had ac-
complished by Saturday night was no
more than they accomplished in the
first two days Of their great attack on
Verdun, and as then they had paid
most dearly for such success as they
had achieved. This may be considered
tactical success Of some magnitude
but 1t Is not a strategic victory.
Though there Is no excuse for pessim.
ism, the situation is serious enough to
wake up America and arouse her to
the necessity of haste.
While the terrific combat was going
on news came that American troops
had been brought up from the south
west and, together with French forces
were aiding the British in making theiI
frequent counter-attacks. These Amer
leans, 1t was believed in Washington
We're part of the reserve forces that
had been put at the disposal of this
supreme war council for emergencies
At this time nothing has been made
public as TO their numbers or VIVA
units are included.
Ia
The most surprising feature of thu
great battle was the Smelling of Parii
by gun or guns of range hitherto
considered impossible. The projectile
began falling in the city and its sub
urbs Saturday at regular intervals ant
steps We're takeN at once to locate tn
super-guns. Later it was announces