The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1918-07-26
HUNS FAILED TO
FIND WEAK SPOT
Crisis of Latest Drive Has
Been Passed.
ALLIES WERE PREPARED
Knew General Ground Over Which
Storm Was To Break-Estimated
Mere Than 100000 Germans
Are In The Offensive.

Washington.-It is the firm opinion
of military authorities in Washington
that the crisis of the new German
drive has been passed; that the enemy
had felt out the whole of 65-mile
stretch of the Allied line without dis
covering weak spot and that the con-
f1ict would degenerate into blind
edge-hammering on the part of the
Crown Princes forces until the furious
energy of his armies had spent itself.
These authorities, although conf
dent from the outset that the road to
Paris would not be thrown open to
the Germans, were none too sure that
important gains would not be made by
the assaulting forces. The results OF
the first days fighting, reassuring as
they were, still left the situation
more or less grave and General Staff
officers were decidedly conservative
in their comments upon the outlook.
These officers, it might be stated,
recalled with painful definiteness the
fact that all early reports following
the first German attack upon the Brit
ish on March 81 indicated that the
British line had held, that it could
not be pierced and that Germany faced
immediate and decisive defeat
Because of this recent miscalcula-
ton and the calamity which almost
followed it, high officials of the War
Department have been cautious in
their judgment as to the extent OF
Germany's initial reverse in the pres
ent, drive. They preferred to wait
until it had fully developed; until
the defensive positions had all been
felt out and the fact determined be-
yond all doubt that no weak link In
the chain would suddenly develop
whereby the Germans might force a
breach and a general retirement of the
whole Allied line.
Germany has had every opportunity
to force a wedge into it if any such
opening could have been found. But
apparently the whole defensive re-
mains intact, which means that de-
feat has met the first onslaught of the
enemy. And it is for that reason that
the belief prevails here that the crisis
has been passed.
Official reports have come to hand
in considerable volume. They sup
port in the main the earlier press dis
patches and throw some light on the
great battle which the unofficial cable
grams had not mentioned, or at least
had not emphasized. 1t can now be
stated authoritatively that the new
assault by the Germans was in no
sense a surprise. The Allies not only
knew the general ground over which
the storm was to break, but knew in a
definite way where the lightning itself
was to strike.
This deprived the Germans of much
of the advantage which they had en-
joyed in earlier offensives. They were
compelled to resort to ferocious fight
ing the minute they started to advance
and have been compelled to keep it up
every hour since that time. Incidental
ly, it gave the Allies the opportunity
, to begin the pounding of the terrain
in the rear of the storming forces with
heavy artillery, thereby disorganizing
the German reserve system.
II is not Indicated here how long
beforehand the Allied commanders
knew of the German purposes, but ap-
parently it has been Known for sew
eral days. In the American com
mun;que, issued Sunday night, on the
very eve of the battle, it was stated
that the enemy was concentrating
men and guns and materials behind
the Chateau Thierry lines. This COM
munique did not SO INFO det@ls, but
the fact is General T-tain sad his
subordinate corps and division .om-
manders were ready and waiting for
the thunderbolt.