Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-05-23
Germans Fear They Will be Laid in Ruins by Con
 stant Bombing.
EXPECT HUN DRIVE
 ALONG THE SOMME
Intensive Aerial Battles Indicate That Big Offensive Will be Renewed soon Americans Gas the
 Enemy.

With the French Armies in France, May Germans captured by the French testify to the brilliant work of the allied aviators, who, the prison. , CTS say, give the Germans no peace Fears are expressed regarding fu- ture operations by allied armen on the Rhine cities. which they believe twill be laid in ruins. The Germans declare their anti=aireraft defenses are insufficient to prevent the allies visiting either day or night the Teu- ton cantonmcnts. camps, depots and ardromes. where they say enormous damage already has been done.
 Other prisoners assert that Emper- or William hcsitated d long time be- fore starting the offensive this year, but Gen. Ludendorff obtained the up- per hand by promising to force peace by beating the allies by Easter.
 The Grown Prince with the military caste in Germany, they asy, succeed ed in cjectng Rudolph von Valentinl frcm power after he had predicted catastrophe for the Germans arms. Non Valentni was chief of Emper- or Williams civil cabinet and was re- placed last September by Won Berg. , Von Valentni's removal was hailed 1 by Pan-German newspapers as the triumph for their cause.
 Associated Press Summary)
 In the past years of the war a per iod of extraordinary activity by the mics in France has been considered 1 l hn{ rapidly shaping themselves for an of- fensive by one side or the other.
 At the present moment the most notable feature of the war situation is the remarkable work of airmen in various sectors where a German at tack is looked for. This activity has not been restricted. to the actual bat tie area but far back of each front there have been daring raids.
 American in Many Battles
 The Rhine cities are being ire quentIy bombed while Paris has again been in danger of German attack from the air. American aviators have borne prominent part in this fight ing. In the Lunevile and Toul sectors they have given magnificent ac count of themselves while further north and even in the defense of Lon don they have demonstrated their fighting capacity
 German plans for resumption of the offensive in France have been seriously hampered by sudden blows of the allies here and there along the front. The Germans have been forced back at numerous points and new lines which may be more easily de tended have been established by the allies.
 The Americans on their own sector have given the enemy no rest. The artillery has battered the German lines night and day while the infan- try has raided German outposts ana have proved themselves capable of outwtting and outfighting the enemy. Gen. Pershings men have won sever- al hot fights with the fee and have captured prisoners.
 Yankees Gas the Enemy
 A night gas attack was loosed on the Germans by the Americans near Toul, three waves of shells drenching a wooded position of the enemy with poisonous fumes. The French. too, have been at work in various sectors, particularly in the Somme region. They have gained ground here and there at points where positions of tactical value were wrested from the Germans.
 Further north the British front has been fairlp quiet with tremendous outbursts of artillery fire coming at intervals. The German offical state ment says that British attacks at various points were repulsed.
 Expect Attack Near Albert Reports from headquarters of the French army are that there has been redistribution of German troops along the entire front. A German at tack is expected soon, probably in the Somme region near Albert, or on the Avre river, where the German can non have been laundering for several days, but so far the German general staff has not shown it's hand. It is known that there are great masses of troops within striking dis. tance of the front and it is believed that when the enemy is ready to strike there will be only brief artill' cry fires as prelude to the actual as sault by the infantry.
 The latest report from the French war office mentions heavy artillery fire in the Somme region and at Pie mont near Noyon where there was