The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1918-07-19
NO SIGNS OF NEW
GERMAN OFFENSIVE
SOMETHING TO DO WITH DELAY
OF PROMISED ATTACK.
German Diplomats Again Engaged in
Peace Discussion Among Them
selves; Italians Continue Advance;
Local Attacks on West Front.

PariS.-Rainy weather in northern
France has caused the thorough soak
ing of the ground. particularly in the
low-lying portions of the battle front.
and perhaps has had something to do
with the delay in the German offensive.
1t is month now since the last Of
fensive died down, swamped by the
tide of French success north of Com
peigne, and there is no sign of the enc
my's being ready to strike again.
The allies have been repeatedly
pushing back the German lines little
by little at various points These adj
vances have gained valuable defensive
ground and brought in thousands Of
prisoners.
German diplomats are again airing
war aims programs and engaging In
peace discussions among themselves.
The chancellor has touched the vital
question of Belgium in the relation of
the status of that nation to peace, and
has declared Germany does not intend
to retain that country 'in any form
whatever
She Is holding 1t as a pawn In the
negotiations, he says, and the German
government finds it expedient to ex-
plain this utterance in an official state
ment in which it is declared that the
holder of a pawn does not intend to
keep 1t, "if the negotiations bring
satisfactory result
The most striking military operation
of the past week has been the italian
s.lx tn, M
Voyusa river. little north Of Avlona,
the Italians have driven the Austrians
back on an eighty-mile front to depth
of about twenty-five miles, capturing
the city of Berat and pushing across
the Semeni river. Within a week the
Austrians have lost commanding posi-
tons on the Tomorica mountains ans
positions extending all the way from
the Adriatic sea to Lake Ochrida.
The French and British have cor
\ tinued their local attacks betwee
Flanders and the Marne. The purpos
evidently is to interfere as much {
possible with enemy concentrations,
cause as big a loss as possible and
IL identify the German units. so as
ol learn, If possible, where the enemy i
s. tends to strike next.
= The Americans have engaged In +
j. offensive operations in the last wee
but have repelled several German a
tacks. In the Vosges mountains an er
/ emy raid was stopped. Near Chateau
;, Thierry an attack In force was checke
i. with heavy loss to the foe.
The shifting situation in RuSsi
y promises to make the Russians facto
s on the side of the allies once again
z There is increasing evidence that al
factions except the Bolsheviki are be
ginning to favor allied Intervention.
: On the Murman coast the population
> appear to have definitely cast in thei
e lot with the allies by breaking wit
4 the Bolsheviki government Of Petrc
y grad. 1t is reported that 20OO Bolsht
: Wiki soldiers recently arrived in tn
Murman region with the evident inter
tion of attacking British, French an
+, American marines and soldiers. The
E were dsarmed by the populace. A.
. cording to this story and sent back
Moscow
In Siberia the Czecho-Slovakk seel
}. to have gained complete ascendency F;
vital points all the way from Europea
e Russia to the Pacific coast