The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-04-06
Great German Drive Slowed Up
and Allied Counter Thrust
Seems at Hand.
.AM|ENS THE HUNS OBJECTIVE
British Speedily Check Diversion At
tack on Arras-French Stubbornly
Hold Line on Olse--Amerlcans
Acqult Themselves Well-uk
rainIans and BoIsheviki Re-
capture Odessa.
av EDWARD w. PIcKARD.

Another week of the bloodiest kind
of fighting failed to bring to the Ger
mans the real victory on which they
had so confidently counted for though
the British and French armies had
been forced to yield further territory
their lines were unbroken and their
spirits undaunted. AS the German mil
itary authorities. General Ardenne.
says, 1t is not the capture of territory
that can bring decision, but only
victory over and through the shutter
ing of the enemy's armies. So far from
being shattered, the allied forces,
weary and battered as they are, are
full of confidence, and as this Is writ
ten are but awaiting the opportune
moment to strike back with the big
army Of maneuver which was placed
ut the disposal Of the supreme war
council.
Amiens, a most important link In
the British line Of communications,
appeared to be the real objective Of
the Germans, and they were able dur.
ing the week to push forward toward
that city, along the line Of the Somme.
as far as Hamel and little farther
north they took Albert and were hold
ing 1t against fierce counter-attacks by
the British. To the south they had
pushed a salient forward little be-
yond Montdldkar, but there the French
came back at them with such elan that
they we're checked and lost several
commanding positions. East of this
sector the French troops held stub
bOrnly to their lines along the Disc and
on Thursday attacked dashingly south
of NoyOn and drove the enemy back
two miles at the point Of the bayonet,
It was along this east and west base
of the German salient that the allied
world expected the great counter,
thrust of the army Of maneuver to be
made. Any considerable advance to
the north there 1t was pointed out
would force the Germans to draw back
to save their lines Of communication
which already are so badly stretched
out that they have great difficulty In
bringing up artillery and food.
What looked like diversion rath.
err than serious threat was the at.
tack of the Huns In the middle Of the
week at the northern extremity of tho
line Of battle toward Arras There
the British, after giving some ground
repulsed the enemy with terrible
slaughter. Presumably this thrust al
Arras was made to keep the British
from sending men and guns to the sec
tor where their lines Join those OF
the French, but 1t was 80 quickly
blocked that It failed Of its purpose
Extraordinarily bold and successful
was the work Of the British and
French aviators. In their low-fyinp
battle planes they flew In swarms con
tinuously over the battlefelds and back
of the German lines, playing havoc
with the enemy's transports and In
flicting heavy casualties in his re
serves Battles In the air were innu
merable, but the allied airmen main
tanned the upper hand always. TIL
artillerymen also distinguished them
selves, sticking to their firing to thu
last moment and usually saving theiI
guns when forced to fall back.
On the whole, the Developments Of
the week were such as to restore con
f1dence among the allies, for though
the situation was still critical, 1t seem
ed that Premier Clemenceau was RICH
when he said that whatever might nap
pen in the next few days, the enem!
could not win the path to the sea moi
the path to Paris.
Ia
Just what part the American troop
have been playing In the Somme bpttl'