The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-09-12

II There is evidence that the German kigh command may plan further ex- Icnsive withdrawals in order to short In defensive lines and ease the strain Epon Germany's waning man power. There is now little doubt that it was lack of fighting deficiencies that forced the enemy to abandon all he had gained in his drive of this year End narrow his front, Unofficial esti- hates say the Germans have left be- hind them during the withdrawal more Than 30o,0o0 prime fighting men, killed, badly wounded, or prisoners This is in addition to the heavy losses In the frontal attacks by which the knemy early in the summer drove his kvay toward Paris and the channel ports.
 With such losses as these drain- ing the ranks and American troops pouring into France at the rate or 100000 n month, it would not sur prise officers here If the German leaders have been compelled to fix upon a much shorter front than
 the old Hindenburg line as one
 which would offer any hope of
 staying the allies onward march. WITHDRAWAL ANTICIPATED
 Unofficial reports from Dunkirk. where the allied air patrols are based, Indicate that the preparations to evac- nate Douai, northern cornerstone or the Hindenburg arch in France, are well advanced. The allied airmen also are said to have seen the enemy air. Homes and aviation stations 15 miles beyond Douai being hastily evacuated of heavy materials. From other sources come reports that the civilian of the towns in German hands in this region are being driven put, step which always precedes of the enemy.
 There is little doubt in the minds of officers here that Douai could be held only at great cost if the British are Douglas Haig's men have a firm hold astride the line between Douai and Cambrai, and observers believe it will be little short of a military miracle if the enemy, out of the confusion un- avoidable in his swift retreat, can or- gan.ze defense for Douai, Cambrai or LaF'ere which can resist successfully the full weight of the allied armies.
 If these towns fall, the Hinden-
 burg line goes with them probab-
 ly along its whole length, it Is said.
 Foot by foot, the French have
 forced their way around the north-
 ern siue of LaFcre while to the
 south. French and American troops
 have chung to the heights above
 Nauxvillfon against repeated
 counter attacks. Another mile of
 advance here and just to the south
 will put General Mangin's men ac-
 tual1y on the northern end of the
 Chemin-Des-Dames, the ridge that
 guards Laon from the Franco
 American forces along the Aisne.
 IN DIRE STRAITS
 As to the straits in which the Ger. | nan leaders find themselves, for men. urther information reached Washing. l on today.
 Official dispatches from France
 say that orders have been issued I
 by the German high command to
 get wounded men back into the
 ranks even before complete cures
 have been effected; to employ at
 once German prisoners released by
 the Russians, even though they had
 nOt iuIIy recovered their strength
 and to turn cavalry into infantry t0
 fill the gaps in the ranks.
 Other orders, the dispatches said. 1 lirect that at certain intervals in quiet ! ectors, an Austro-H Hungarian division | 'e placed between two German divi- | ions or that Austrian soldiers be dis | ributed in German regiments in a pro- | 'orticn of 60 to a company to make | ID the full company strength of about | 50 men. These advices also state hat the reduction of the battalion trcngth to three companies instead of our, was largely for the purpose of l 1aking good losses in company and oncommissioned officers.
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