The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-03-25
STATEMENT Of HAIG
CONTINUED from Fret Page

eletad their forces that they stand a
rhance Of falling easy prey 70 the ex-
nected allied count er attack AmeTi-
ran army officers. on the other hand,
are not SO optimistic over the situa-
zion tonight Advtces and reports re-
ceived by the war department have
convinced thu Americans that the Ger
man attack has opened the greatest
breach IN the allies line ever recorded
I'm trench warfare Although exact
information as to the advance regis
tered hv the Germans is indefinite the
American experts are convinced that
the British have lost twenty five miles
OF the first line trenches, In other
words that the triangular wedge be-
ing driven betwe the French ana
British positions has base twenty
FIVE miles In length.
Experts are pointing out tonight
that an attacking party can be ex-
pected to occupy new ground to an
tent measured by the base OF the tri-
angle of its operations, This leads the
American army men 10 believe that
the Germans will continue TO advance,
the point Of their wedge until they
reach a poit about twenty-five miles
from the point of FIRST attack. The
failure of the British wedge driven
at Cambria wa4 due to the fact that
the triangle Of operation measured
only about eight miles at the base.
The point OF the wedge proceeded
much further than was anticipated
but because Of the small base line the
Germans were able to subject all Brit
ish lines of communication into the
breach IL continuous artillery fire
from the sides OF the breach In the
line. The British were unable to
widen the doorway and thus failed
to give TO their advance fighting line
the support necessary to sustain 1t.
The Germans. according to officers
Of the war department. have come to
she conclusion that with an opening
Of twenty-five miles they can main
tain sufficient lines through the branch
10 permit Of rushing forward the fresh
troops which must be brought into &C
tion to replace the faded fighters ut the
peak OF the wedge Failure of the
Germans 10 get fresh men up to the
fighting line Will give the British suf-
fcient time 20 reorganize their forces
and put into effect the expected coun-
ter-attAck
No definite word has been received
here yet Of the troope engaged on
both sides. bur II s generally accept
81 that the Germans were in superior
force ana that when the toll Of life
comes in. 81 VIII show q slaughter on
the Teuton side somewhat paralislling
the fearful losses suffered at the out
set of The war
British officers declare that one OF
the most satisfying elements In ths
whole situation rs that the Germans
were forced 70 assume the offensive
first. One official TODAY declared that
ssrtoua political conditions within the
Tseptou empires have compelled this
costly step II is believed that il Ia
either stringent food shortage be-
fore the fepriug craps become available
~ q recurrence Of the serious labor
troubles in Austria. b. recurrence al
ready limited ~ IN Press dispatches
from Switzerland transmitted 10 Wash
!nEton thronah official French sources
while many ohser~&rs en- the basis
~ the brief state nents available here
this afternoon believe that the frst
shock ~ the Teutou offensive has been
Foent. there are r7eny others who pre-
6iet that u win te many days--per-
AapR weeks before Tire uct gains and
losses csn 30 faa''y tahulated
All accounts here agree with Ger
v~sn lessee ss compared with the
British stsrS az about three 70 one
in an operation 80 the magnitude AL
ready developed, such Losses for the
.a$ns attained IS asserted to mean
that the Germans ave paid far too
heavy . price
Washington TO- several days has
been filled with gossip about q huge
allied mobile arn3v read 50 @trits
wherever needed This army il re-
ported 10 have been trained behind the
lines independent Of the troops whoI
are holding The trenches II IS re-
ported to contain more than . season
Ing Of Americans
This force may row he hurled against
the depleted German strength whether
ct or near the blood soaked field
where the 4eId grey masses have beer
moved aop.n by British artillery auo
machine guns or they Ynay dash att
SORE section of The line which all.ed
atrn1sn and scouts have found stripped
eff defenders to bolster uo the attack
b@sween - Fert ard the Frarrc