The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-04-10
GERMAN PLAN MISCARR|EO.
EFFORT TO SMASH ALLIES LINES
FAILED DIsAsTROUsLY.
Now They are I'm a Difsicult Position
and The Fight is tn Save Them
selves from Destruction.
(By Associated Press.)

ish troops strongly entrenched and
well equipped for battle the German
army has for the moment given up it's
direct drive against Amiens After
utter rerulse I'm his efforts TO smash
straight through to his objective, the
enemy now il attempting new ma
heuver which is intended to broaden
the field of action and reduce the
menace Of a counter offensive that
would nullify all the gains made by
the Teutons since March 21.
Reports from the battle line in Pi-
cardy disclose the first stages or this
new German offensive aimed at eth
or side of the salient in the allied
lines. From La Basse Canal in the
north. TO the sectors east of Laon the
great artillery forces OF the enemy are
numbering. with the bombardment
deepening at places to the intensity
OF drum hre.
The length of this front Is approx
naately 120 miles. North of Lens,
east OF Arras. along the new front run
ning through Bucquoy to Albert
south 10 Montdidier and thence east
ward past Lassigny and Noyon to a
point far beyond Chauny the Germans
arc hammering the allied lines in an
attempt TO break the defenses and pre-
pare them for the infantry assault
which may be expected at any mo-
ment.
On the western elbow" OF the So
hent In the allied lines the Germans
are forced to fight uphill. Their ad-
vance across the lower ground along
the somme. Ancre. Avre and Luce
Rivers has carried them up to a para
pet of,hills which sentinel the re. 4.
Amiens. Attacks along this natural
bulyRrk have asststl, the enemy only.
insisniflcant gi,ins at great cost. 4
AT points the German efforts have
gained. but the gains have resulted
only In the formation of sharp sa-
liens which are swept by rifle ana ma
chine gun fire and tempests of shells
whenever enemy troops are seen
forming for an attack.
There IL wholesome respect I'm
the German general stan for the al
lied reserve army which. as yet ap-
pears to have been drawn up lightly
TO meet the Teutonic attacks. The at
tack on the French lines southeast OF
Chauny is for the purpose OF remov-
ing menacing salient and the gain
ing OF better protection to the German
left flank.
This assault is still going on and il
has made considerable progress. The
Germans struck through the lower
forest of Coucy and have reached a
point south OF the village OF Folem-
bray. The Berlin official statement
claims that 1000 prisoners have been
taken.
That an attack Of large dimensions
IN planned for the front of Arras
northward TO Lens is considered prob
able by military experts AS long as
this front is in its present position the
Germans can not exert their full
strength on the line before Amiens
The cannonade in this region may be
the prelude of massed attack such
as bent the British line during the lot-
ter days of March.
Notwithstanding the statement
made on Friday by Steven Pinchon.
the French foreign minister that
Americans now are fighting i'm Pi-
cardy" nothing definite has been learn
ed about whore Gen. Pershing's me,
are located. or what part they are
paying I'm this battle of battles.
ON the American n-held sectors near
Nerdun east OF Luncville. and north
east of Toul only ordinary trench ac-
uvities have been reported.
Little has been heard from the Ital-
IAN front The concentration of Aus
TRAN troops In that thcater of the war
II considered warning that major ac-
tvi,ies may be looked for there.
Turkish troops are reported TO bc
invading the Caucasus where they wiz
wke possession of the territories
which were given them under tho
peace treaty at Brest- Ltovsk.
The landing Of British and Jana