New-York tribune., 1918-03-27
Despite Heavy Captures,
Germans Are Far From
a Decision
Kaiser Is Drawing
Heavily on Reserves
Battle Likely to Continue for
Weeks, With Allies
Hitting Back
By Arthur S. Draper
'ibune Cable Scrvice)

LONDON, March 26. - The battle
front extended northward to Arras is
the centre cf another gigantic enemy
attack. The situation must be re-
garded with the kcenest anxiety and
the enemy is throwing in everything
Latest reports were that the British
were holding firmly.
The new thrust at Arras if posi-
BILE is heavier than the drive on the
Somme, where Anglo French troops
! hold the old lines from which was
launched the offensive of 1916. On the
! Somme battlefront the Germans have
shown signs Of exhaustion, though
sheer momentum is carrying them for
ward.
Amiens, centre of great strategic
Importance, is we'll covered by Haig's
gallant troops. Tremendous pressure
is being brought to bear on the north
crn end of the Albert Roye line. Sew
enty-odd divisions, roughly 100000
bayonets, have been hurled into the
worlds greatest battle by the enemy
and bis reserves are still moving up.
Far Short OF Decision
He has made heavy captures in men,
guns and material, but what he has
accomplished falls far short of de-
cison.
The Germans have dropped behind
the schedule of the Kaiser, who from
ST. Quentin is watching the struggle
upon which is staked his dynasty, and
must be sharing the anxiety of his mill
tary leaders, who already have suffered
probably 100000 casualties.
The very fact that the Kaiser is maxi
ing the final gamble of the war means
that the battle will continue some
weeks, and that both sides will throw
IN an ever increasing number of troops
until decision is reached.
Coolly and calmly Petain and Haig
are waiting the psychological moment
to spring their counter measures.
Petain must block the way to Paris;
Hang must guard the Channel ports.
Both have large reserves. Along the
AlbertRoye line the Allies are reor-
north, southeast of Arras, they are
handling the new problem of defending
this sector, which for tunately is one of
the strongest on the British front. The
Canadians have come into action.
Casualties Are Heavy
On the Somme and at Albert and
Roye there are centres of terrific bat
ties. The British have suffered heavy
casualties and the loss of prisoners,
guns and war material. but their rear
guard fighting is fully up to the stand
ard of Monss
Just now, covering Amiens is all
important, and if a successful stand
is made all losses, territory included,
are negligible, and small price for the
toll exacted from the enemy in life,
military prestige and eventually civil
ian and military morale.
Nothing short of decision will sat
isfy the enemy, and he is going to
get it.
Vienna's comment shows Berlin's op-
timlsm is not wholly shared in the Dual
Monarchy, which has supplied a huge
number of guns, but awaits news Of
counter attacks and strategic successes
before shouting victory.
Albert but a She'll
Of the real Albert now nothing but
the shell of a town is left 1t is inter
esting because of the figure of the Vir-
gin leaning from the church tower The
guns here command the ' hole battle
Here the French settled in the fall of
19l4 and held their lines until relieved
by the British. For nearly two wears
the positions were unchanged. Then
came the Battle Of the Somme, Now
the British are back again.
One OF the features Of the drive has
been the alacrity of the enemy in ad-
vancing his artillery 1t has been m
equalled in the war The explanation
is that they advanced oven good roads
which the British were unable to mine
before their withdrawal
Mine Throwcrs at Work
Mine throwcrs and small field guns
were used in tremendous numbers. II
would be expected that the British nm
accustomed to withdrawal. might bc-
come confused and disordcrly, but there
has been no sign of a rout With tho
evacuation OF Noyon ana the retire
mcnt Of the French right back to Tho
Disc, Petain now holds the line cstah-
lished in the fall Of 1914. Noyon is
the nearest to Paris the Germans have
been for two years
AT no time in the war have the Brit
lsh avintors shown greater superiority
in the air, and they deserve high praise
FOR the way they have covered the
withdrawal.
The closing Of the German frontiers
is considered to portcnd another o.
fcnsive move, possibly by the enemy
fleet. change in the weather might
prove valuable aid to the Allies, as
the enemy is now operating in coun-
try which quickly becomes mnrshy
after rain. SO far the weather has been
dry and hard and great advantage
to the Germans.