The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1943-03-24
Hard Fighting
Still Lies
Ahead
Allied Troops Try
For Completion of
EncirClement

CBy international News Service
Prime Minister Winston Church
III threw cold water today ON vi
sions OF a quick and decisive Allied
victory in funisla despite encourag.
ing reports from the battlefront.
Churchill told the House OF Com.
mons that latest information from
the Mareth front. where the British
eighth army has preached Mareth
Line in the north. indicated that
German counter-attacks had re.
gained a part OF the grourd lost
Their main line OF defense has
been largely restored" Churchill
declared.
The Prime Minister asserted thar
the showdown battle for Tunisin
had not yet reached It's climax and
that Every much hard fighting
still lies before Anglo-American
forces.
Conservative
Conservative as always, Churchill
teh Commons:
II do not wish that hopes OF an
EASY decision should be.encouraged.
In the other hand. | have good con.
fldence In the final result"
Earlier reports from Allied head
quarters 10 North Africa said that
British forces had not only preached
the Mareth line In the north but
outflanked II IN the south, while
American troops advancing from
Maknassy were only 10 miles from
the Port OF Gabes on the eastern
coast.
In spite Of Churchill's report TO
Commons, II was clear that Nszi
Field Marshal Rommels position
In southeastern Tunisia Is far rom
comfortable and Tie possibility or
complete enlightenment and annlhi.
lation OF his forces still remains.
First word that Rommel might
possibly have some surprises in
store for the Allies before he is
finally routed came from lnterns.
tional News Service staff Cores
pendent Pierre j. Huss. veteran war
correspondent and former Berlin
Bureau manager.
Hasn't Shown Hand
Frontline observers pointed out
that Rommel had not vet shown his
full hand IN the fighting with the
British Eighth Army. His strategy
thus far has been that OF a planned
orderly withdrawal inside the Mar
eth Qualifications. the meanwhile
sowing mlnefields and BOBBY traps
before and behind all OF his defens.
es TO make enemy progress diff.
cult.
But Allied bombers and fighters.
plus heavy British artillery. ha'e
undoubtedly made the positions or
the German and italian troops In
side the Mareth line extremely diff
cult. one unit OF Italians was said
10 have waded across stream 10
give up TO the Eighth Army because
they could no longer stand the dew
astatlng hail o. shell fire issuing
from Gen. Sir Bernard Law Mont
gomery's big guns.
Reports from the Russian front
were more encouraging today than
they have been for some time.
Soviet forces smashing toward Smo-
leusk on the central front have
captured a number OF additional To-
calities after defeating the Ger,
mans in a four-day battle north OF
Bryansk.
In one sector the Red army was
menacing the town o. Ihukovsch.
ma. only % miles fom Smolensk.
Seven thousand enemy troops were
slain in the foug-day battle north or
Bryarsk. while lI0 tanks were
knocked out
Resume Advance
Red Army units in the western
Caucasus have resumed their ad.
vance after a long period OF compar-
alive inactivity. SEEING the import
ant district center and railroad
town OF Slayysnskaya, O1ly 3S
miles from the Black sea naval base
OF Noyorossisk.
In the Donets region, too, the