The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1918-08-08
GERMANS WONDER
IF ALL 1T TOLD

| lF ALL III IOID
Amsterdam, July 26.-The impress
sion that the Franco-American count.
er-offensive has made on the Germans
at home is perhaps best illustrated
by an article written by Deputy
Traub Of the Prussian lower house in
the Pan-German newspaper, The
Tageliche Rundschau. Traub fiercely
lashes the croakers "who dare doubt
the official headquarters reports Of
victory"
He makes desperate appeal for
more nerve" and "more faith" and
blunders thus:
"If der Alte Fritz Frederick the
great walked the streets today and
saw the peoples long faces he would
say: Remember the seven years war
when fortune was often dead against
us. Why grumble because affairs on
the Marne are not going as well as
expected? Devil take you. You ought
to be ashamed Of yourselves
The German military commenta-
tors have begun complimenting the
allied commander, General Foch, now
that they are no longer able to con-
ceal success from the German public.
The Vossische Zeitung of Berlin, for
instance, refers to him repeatedly as
an liable leader" while General Won
Ardenne in the Tabeblatt frankly adj
mits that the shortening of the Ger
man line had become necessary as
the result of the French generalissi-
mos "impetuous counteroffensive.
Credit for Foch
1t is noticeable also that all the
German newspapers speak of the re-
cent operations as a defensive bat
tle." And General Won Ardenne cred
it's General Foch with a plan to ex-
tend his line northward with the OBJ
ject of attacking the crown princes
army in the rear as we'll as on the
flank. This coupled with the difficult
zigzag formation Of the German lines,
where the fighting is proceeding in
the wooden wilderness to the south
west of Rheims, he says, makes a
concentration of the German forces
advisable. The commentators goes on
at great length to explain to his Ger
man readers that this means nothing
serious, and if any ground is yielded
it is of course enemy ground.
In Vorwaerts Col. Richard Geadke
pays handsome tribute to General
Foch for profiting by past experiences
and gaining his end by launching a
flank attack. "He succeeded" Col
onel Gaedke says, and he adds what
Tor German is an astounding ad-
mission, mainly because the armed
assistance of the Americans proved
effective"
Presence of Americans.
"Tonnage and measures of safety
at sea, seem to have been provided in
sufficient measure for the bringing OF
hundreds of thousands Of Americans
across the ocean," continues this
writer. "They have rapidly assimilat-
ed the art of war, for war is a quick
and thorough trainer"
1t is incorrect to regard Foch's un-
dertaking only as a measure for re-
lieving his front under the German
pressure, Colonel Gaedke adds. 1t
was rather, he declared, we'll pre-
pared bid for regaining his freedom
of action. The writer, howevr, main
tains that after the initial success,
the course of Foch's onslaught was
spent on the third day and that since
that time he has made no further
progress in his dash for Scissors.
Thus he considers that General Foch's
counteroffensive has brought about
no radical change in the situation and
remains a mere interlude in the great
drama.
"The day has been quieter on the
battle front" says the official state
ment issued by general headquarters
this evening.