Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-03-30
COUNTER OFFENSIVE
Of ALLIED FORCES
PROBABLY AT HAND
Strength o, the German Invaders
Indicated to be Steadily
Waning.
CHECKED AT MONTDIDIER

Fighting in the battle front between
the Scarpe and the oiSc having dimIn-
ished greatly. except between Albert and
MontdIdier. Allied forces are being made
ready for a counter blow against the
Germans, whose strength has given nu-
merous indications of waning Gen. foch,
who PLAYED memorable role III stop
ping the first German rush toward Paris
and the Channel ports, has been gwen
command of e British, French and
American armies III the present operation
RepulScd Ill attempts tu widen their
salient by pressing back the northern
and southern wings. the Germans have
driven forward in the apex of their wedge
toward tmicns and are now astrIdc the
Somme. a out - miles east of that nm
portant point
GERMAN POSITION PERILoUS.
Between the Sommc and the Avre
the British have retired to "A line through
Hamel, AIarcelcave and Neuvillc. Just
south of Albert. however, the British
hold to the line of the Ancrc which makes
a salient into The German line that NAV
prove dangerous to a further enemy adj
vance.
The French h " completely checked
the Germans est Of MontdiiIcr and the
enemy has not tried To repeat his unsuc-
cessful attempts TO force u passage over
the oISe east LaSSigny. Between
Nontdidicr and Lassigny the French
count offensive which took them into
the outskirts Of Noyon on Thursday,
continues
COT NrER OFFENSIVE EoBABLE.
zen Foch's appointment to the chief
command not only brings all Allied re-
sources under one head, hui indicates
In { the moment for a strong counter
movement probably has arrived With
tho Allcd reserves and American dIvi-
sion~ for mobile force aud the British
and French holding the enemy on their
flank. Gen Foch viii have full scope
for his strategical powers
The wings ~ the German salient are
its weak points and taC Germans Jailed
IN their FIRST attempt, to strengthen them
l.v capturing irra~ ana crossing the Disc
y The Germans pres forward between
Nlhcrt and NontdldrT without widen
ing their Ntnr- ~mUit iu aou>iy. heir
position iccon s NOR hal4rinI~ The
;cg.ou ahoa' Arra- and the line III tile
OiSe offer two positions from Which a
counter blow intended to rotl ~ one side
OF The German wedge can he launched
The situation Is unchanged 80 the
other sectors n France and n ltalv
Rather heavy artiller, frng continues
on the American front northwest Of
Toul. The actiblty - the Germans
behind their lines there continues. but
there have been no indications Of inpcnd-
ing infantry actions on largo scale
LONG RANGE GUN Mills -
Gemany's newest war novelty. the
long range gu which has been bonn
harding Paris for week. has surpassed
the bombing alrplanc in frlghtfulncss.
One shell strurk i church In the Paris
region as the congregation wls gathered
for q Good Friday Observance and -
persons were killed and 90 injured Most
OF the vTct inns were women and children
Rebel troops in Finland have suffered
= serious setback a. The hands oi The gov
ernmeni forces snd Arr reported ia have
lost 10000 prisoners after their defeat
at Tammcrior> I id ..'hcis also gave
up II guns Gcrman troops have b,ssn
aiding the government against the rebels,
who are being uShcd steadily toward
the southern coast