The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1918-04-05
ONE POINT STILL
SEES Hun ADVANCE
MAXIMUM GAIN MADE IN GREAT.
EST BATTLE or WAR is
THIRTY-sEvEN MILES
FOCH IN SUPREME COMMAND
Noted French General Win Direct Al
lied Troops.-Berlin Claims to
Have Captured 10000 Men
and 1,1oo Guns.
MARCH 30

General Foch. the great French
strategist, to whom has been attributed
much of the credit for the victory OF
the Marine in September, 1914, has
been appointed to supreme command
of all allied and American forces in
France. This has been officially an
nounced.
This means upificaion of all the
armies opposing the Germans, IL step
which the American and French mill
tary men have urged and which APP
parently has been brought about by
recognition of the imperative demand
for concentrated effort to hurl back
the gigantic thrust of the enemy in
France
In recognition of the honor confer
red on General Foch, President VIII
son Friday sent his congratulations.
General Pershing has placed at his
command all the American soldiers
now on French soil.
General Foch would have. in add
ton TO the men on the actual battle
lines, a strategic reserve force. the
size and location of which is not given.
but which from recent reports probably
is very large. This force, all along
has been expected to strike the blow
which may deliver Knockout" to
the German offensive.
After eight days. during which it has
been swept forward over the rolling
hills of Picardy. at times like tidal |
wave, the German offensive has slow |
ed down.
Instead of sweeping advance, its
progress has been checked at all but |
one sector of the front, and there it has
been merely creeping for the last two
days-this fact even is admitted by |
the German war office, which usually
comedies nothing.
From Arleux, north of Arras. to Al
bert, on the Somme the British lines
have been holding stubbornly and
have thrust back the Germans at
number of points. From Albert south
TO Montdidier, there has been a slow
movement to the west, but the hills
west of Montdidier are still being held
by the French. No ground has been
made against the French along the
southern side of the salient driven into
the allied lines, while it is asserted
that the French counter attack from
Lassigny to Noyon is still going on.
The extreme depth of the German
wedge is now about 81 miles.
Meanwhile the allied world is
awaiting for the entente forces to
strike back at the Germans.
Counter Must Come Soon.
1
When this blow If it comes will fall, @
II where, is as yet sealed in the minds
# the men directing the progress of n
affairs for the allies, but \
it must come soon if it isl
o be effective. The German advance A
low is converging on Amiens. the
abroad center of northern France,
which is known to be the ganglion
rom which run the main commune
ations of the British army in north c
IN France. The railroad from Paris u
0 Amiens was cut by the Germans e,
t Montdidier, but this would not be W
ital if Amiens itself is held by the 1,
lilies. d.
.Arras Thrust Stopped. pl
The German thrust in front of Ar u
as, while, according to Berlin. ii net a.
I'd thousands of prisoners, has APP y
arently come to stop before Orange !"
I'LL, Telegraph Hill. and the labyrinth
.rongholds held by the British in this
sctor.
Repeated mass attacks by the Ger of
ANS on these points have resulted in T.,
,rrible losses to them, without. how &c
yer, breaking the line and causing
ore than a Strengthening of the front fo
afore Arras. th
A German official statement de- IN
ares that since the offensive began ey
1000 prisoners and LOO guns have tn
zen taken. 1t is interesting to note
lat after seven days of fighting at
erdun. the Germans claimed they -
i'd captured 10000 men. Taking into 'e
the comparative magni-
des of the two struggles, the Ger 60 60
an claims for captures may be con-
1ered accurate. u
French Reports Silent. ha
The French reports are silent as to tn
e progress made on the line from wi
lssigny to Noyon, except to say that
e attack is still continuing and that RI
esh French troops are arriving in I'll
is region. Nothing has developed of
show that this is more than a An
rely local engagement fought for tn,
e purpose of preventing the Germans cal
I'm reaching the Disc river and hav- DO
l. w. w. PLOT AT BUTTE.