Evening star., 1918-02-14
us. GUNS BACK Up
BLOW BY FRENCH
Petain's Forces Score a Strik-
ing Success in the Cham
pagne Region.
ALL PLAN FOR BIG BATTLE
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
PARIS, February 14:-American bat
teries took part in the artillery bonn
bardment in connection with the large
French raid in the Champague yester-
day, it is announced officially. The
statement follows:
"a German attempt against a small
French post north OF Pargny- Filain
tAisne 'front.' was repulsed. There were
lively artillery actions in the region
east of Rheims. in the Champagne. In
the large raid yesterday American bat
teries gave very effective support.
French troops organized the positions
captured on that day in the region
southwest of Butte du Mesnil. The
number of prisoners taken by the
French and actually enumerated ex-
ceeds $50. There is nothing to report
on the remainder of the 'front.'
(This is the first mention of Ameri-
can batteries on the Champagne front
American gunners are trained by the
! French before going into active service
teries referred to in the French official
report evidently are some of those un-
dersoiEg this instruction The Ameri-
can sector is in Lorraine. some distance
to the east of this point.)
Successful Raid by French
In the Champagne. after brief artillery
preparation. says last nights report I'VE
carried out a big raid in the region south
of Butte Mesnil, on front of about
twelve hundred meters. Our detachments
penetrated the German position as far as
the third line. overthrew the enemy de-
fenseS and destroyed numerous shelters
We captured more than 100 prisoners.
In the period from February / to 10
our pilots brought down twenty eight Ger
man airplanes, fourteen Of which We're en-
tirely destroyed and the other fourteen
seriously damaged.
Germans Continue Preparations.
GRAND HEADQUARTERS OF THE
FRENCH ARMY IN FRANCE, February
13-German preparations for their an
nounced offensive on the allied front have
not brought with them any relaxation of
German vigilance or efforts to meet any
possible attack from the allies. New con-
csntrations of German forces are gathering
in the rear of their lines simultaneously
with the hard work which continues on
the front-lipe positions. where a most
formidable system of defenSes has been
erected during the winter months.
Various authorities make widely diff
ferent estimates of the number of Ger
man divisions which may eventually be
brought into the line on this front.
should the Germans decide to engage in
battle on a large and decisive scale
The exact total of the German forces in
the front line and in the immediate re-
serve is known to 4 unit.
Have 100000 Troops.
One hundred and twelve divisions oc-
cupy the German front-line facing the
troops. while their immediate reserves
total sixty-three divisions. con the ba-
sis of $4,000 men in German division,
this would be 100000 troops)
have reached various points behind the
lines. but the fact has not been estab-
Gshed with certainty. At any rate it
is agreed by authorities here that the
greatest possible number the Germans
could add to their forces on this side
does not exceed twenty divisions, which
would bring the total to 1876 divisions
(2,340,0 900 men).
Prepare for Struggle.
FRENCH FRONT. Friday. February
Like two boxers seated in opposite
corners. taking deep breaths and being
sponged down while awaiting the next
round, the German and Franco-British
armies on the frontiers of France and
Belgium at the present moment in their
opposing positions are preparing for the
opening Of the gigantic struggle which
went on throughout 1917 and ceased only
temporarily while time was called by
winter. Each army has probably a fairly
accurate idea of the others strength. To
give the total forces on the allies side
might possibly afford some indication to
the enemy.
Whence the initiative may come when
weather conditions permit RESUMPTION
of fighting on large scale cannot for
the time being be predicted, but it ap-
pears probable that these millions of
soldiers must again come to close grips
early in the year.
Continue to Harry Each Other.
Comparison with a boxing contest is
not exactly correct, for in the intervals
between the rounds the armies continue
Continued on Eleventh Page.)