Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-05-11
SATURDAY EVENING, NAY II, 1918.
EVENTS OF WEEK
The feature of

EVENTS OF A WEEK
The feature Of the week in the war on the western
front is the continued failure of the Germans to make
material advances. and the continued improvement of
their positions by the British and French. From the
apex of. the angle which their March offensive created
in the neighborhood OF Montdidier to the northern side
of the Ypres salient the Germans have been showering
their foes with projectIes from heavy artillery, and have
been making infantry assaults on the allied lines, but
in no instance have they made gains that are of any i'm
portance to them, and in several instances they have
been driven out of positions in the taking Of which they
had spent the lives Of large numbers of men.
. . = =
1t would be folly to say that the German effort is
over. 1t is not. The Germans have got themselves into
a position where they must keep hammering away, no
matter what the cost, for to stop now would be to con-
tess failure, and the German government is in no position
to confess to the German people that it has failed. But
it appears that the force Of the blow in its initial fury
has spent itself, and that the Germans, with their powers
weakened and their positions impaired, must keep up a
fight against an adversary whose strength grows daily,
and who will soon be. il he is not now, in a position to
take the offensive on his own account, and to determine
for himself just when and where the major operations
Of the campaign shall be carried on.
=
Because the interests Of all the allies are inter-
twined, the crisis in the British parliament, which would
have been interesting at any time because of the pictur-
esque character of the premier against whom the shafts
of the opposition have been leveled, has been followed
with a tension of feeling seldom existing because the fate
OF a government hangs in the balance. And when it was
announced that on Thursday the premier and his asso-
ciates were sustained by a vote Of nearly three to one,
there were numerous expressions of admiration for the
doughty little Welshman who seems to combine the quail
tiles of caution and daring in a manner seldom witnessed.
A few lines will suffice to summarize the facts as
they have been recorded in the daily dispatches. Major
General Sir Frederick B. Maurice, who has been direc-
tor Of military operations under the Lloyd George ad-
ministration for more than two years, made a public
statement a few weeks ago in which he discussed the
situation on the west front in a manner which was in
terpreted as being an unfriendly criticism Of the French
military command. and Of General Foch, who is in SUI
preme charge of the allied operations on that front. He
was promptly relieved of his official position and was
assigned to field duty. A little later he caused to be
published a letter in which he asserted that statements
made by Premier Lloyd George and Andrew Bonar Law
with reference to the British strength in France were not
in accordance with the facts. He asked for an investiga-
ton Of the charges.
Former Premier Asquith moved for an investigation
by a select committee, and it was on this motion, after
rspeecHeS LII a o o I Parliamentary sparrlng,
that the vote was taken. 1t would be misleading to say
that the vote of three to one represents the strength of
the Lloyd George administration in the house. Should
= direct vote OF censure be asked on a clear cut issue,
while it is almost certain that the government would be
sustained, it would be by a much narrower margin. In
the present case Mr.. Asquth insisted that his motion
was not one Of censure. and not a few members who are
anything but friendly to the administration voted against
the motion.
The American public has been enlightened q n one
point by the secretary of war, who has just made a for
NAL statement to the effect that more than the half mil
lion men whom he promised early in the year are now
In France, and we are given to understand that these
soldiers are all fully equipped and ready for service.
The sending Of these men and their supplies across the
water practically without loss is a remarkable achieve
snlent.s and one in which Americans generally may we'll
take pride.
The failure Of the aviation program to meet expecta-
Hons and fulfill promises is a large fly in our ointment.
For many weeks the aviation failure has been the sub.
3ect Of comment in and out Of congress. 1t has at last
1eached the department Of justice. which is undertaking
ssAn Investigation % ascertain whether or not there has
been ANYTHING criminal in the acts Of any Of the men
Who may pc held responsible for any Of the numerous
1elays
The week was msrked By the anpivsrss.y. on Nay
u 'f the sinking % TIE Lusitania. the event which, more
SsSSthan any other, dsmonstrated 70 the world the utter
ahsssfissnsss 49, gsrn.n command, and Its disre-
n 60 ssskss u ~ 1850 God 40 nsan. Ths sinking 81
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ss0s aelsafs ysthstsSs h.4 issrsaeiysbss Is Is
slttsws ss1 ~ fseosFlse none Il ~ b~snssicsat iaws
4 sp1eeessps 81 ~ ~ q huupaaty u liz 4ntss,st .h.p.
8SSSSa III liA III ~ ether AirHe4ionys