Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-04-15
Monday. April IS, 1918.
\ man without self restraint is
like "a larrel without hoops. and
tumblas to pieces.-Beecher.
The O.her Side OF War Situation

SOiu" others. while telling the truth
with the nCwsman's succinCtness. are
far more suggestive OF gloom than a
careful reading Of the context war
rants. We hope our readers who are
watching so closely every develop
ment OF ,he titanic struggle in which
their sons and brothers. their hus-
bands and swecthcarts are now tax
ing part. v III not become disheartcncd
by the moaEer cable dispatches from
tho front. We may be wrong in our
deductions and conclusions. but we
believe ~ are safely grounded in our
confdonrr. Reading from the head
lines only. on Saturday morning, and
before we had read or heard a word
OF the dispatches. we decided that the
special order of Sir Douglas Haig
was sig 1ifCant. as much for effect
upon the enemy. as upon his own
men. II seemed to us that the hour
had arrived when the backbone Of the
allies was about to loo sitffcned. when
"a point had been reached beyond
which tho allied lines would not
withdraw. when the tactics which
have permitted the enemy to smash
his human material against a wall.
costing him probably three to one of
the allied losses. had been changed.
II seemed TO us on Saturday morn
ing that n crisis was at hand; that in
the hour in which General Haig
. squared lis shoulders to halt the
enomy's desperate rushes. General
Foch wls about to strike at some
point otner than the British front.
while Tho German strength was
masscd against tho British.
Writing this on Saturday morning,
we feel confident that great develop
monts are 10 take place. perhaps be-
fore this newspaper goes 10 press on
= Monday morning. perhaps not for
:. several days. but we believe the
= hur Is drawing near when the re-
:, serve focces under the allied general
:. issimo are about to be hurled
: against 'ae Teuton armies at a point
=, where General Foch believes the
= spite Of tie gloomy headlines over the
=. press dispatches. we believe that our
= readers have no cause for alarm:
~ that they should cheer up in the con-
= fidence that IN the hour which seems
darkest. we are near the dawn. Let
-. none OF Us give way to forebodings
- and worry. but rather draw our own
:, conclusions from the facts OF the
= situation.
- or soma things we are quite sure
- II we place any trust in the official
= statements Of our own government
and Of the governments of England
= and France. We should have no
IS doubt that the allied forces and
q. equipment in France and Belgium
= are at this moment for superior to
- the Teuton forces arrayed against
- them. AMI we should remember, at
- the same time. that while the tao
3 tics adopted by the allied forces have
- compelled withdrawal mile after
- mile. over the devastated territory
- which Won Ilindenburg voluntarily
80 relinquished a year ago. these tao
- tics have been adopted for the pur-
- pose OF saving men. while exacting
terrible toll from the lines of the en-
envy.
=. General Hindenburg is quoted as
=. saying. be fore the great drive began.
= that IL would probably cost 400 900
- men to crush the allied lines. He
- perhaps came nearer to the truth in
:. that statement than in any other Of
= his military uttcrances for effect at
- home and abroad. OF recent date. 1t
- is even quite probable that his sug-
- gested losses OF dead and injured in
- his own forces will be doubled In the
- first twenty days.
- When We calmly analyze the situa-
- tiion we find much OF announcement.
-. in spite 81 the grucsome dispatches.
- We now have proof positive that the
- German drive was the last desperate
- chance Of the Prussian war masters
- TO crush their enemy's lines on the
- west. AMI TO hold the loyalty OF the
German and Austrian people. We
- have oft N referred 10 this before. and
- now we are corroborated by no less
IAN auth ori'y than Richard washburn
= Child. in an article in the current is
sue OF Golfers Weekly. which obvi
- ously gust have the sanction Of the
government Mr.. Child gives sum-
~ mary OF German internal conditions
as astonishing as any that has ap-
peared anywhere this side the At
p lantic. Not oni. does he give strik-
ing evidence that there is a growing
: political discomfort in Germany.
Ehich may reach the army. but that