Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 74, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 April 1918 — GERMAN OFFENSIVE NEAR END; ALLIES IN COUNTER-BLOW [ARTICLE]

GERMAN OFFENSIVE NEAR END; ALLIES IN COUNTER-BLOW

With the passing of the thirteenth day of the new battle of the Somme there came in crashing evidence that the real German machine with which it was intended to crush the allied line has almost utterly spent itself. Where previously the Germans had thrown men into the fray, not counting the prodigious wastage is killed or wounded, Tuesday saw them decline anywhere to give battle. On the contrary in what little fighting occurred the British and French troops took the initiative. Thus it seems apparent, with the reserve forces of the entente virtually intact and with the added weight 'Pershing’s troops will give them, the I turn in the tide of the battle is at hand. . , _ While admittedly both the French and British armies have suffered rather severe casualties as they stood valiantly to their task of impeding the Germans and making them pay an unheard of price for every foot of ground gained, their reserves have been conserved with the utmost care behind the lines for the fateful time when the withering fire of the allied guns and machine guns should have so blighted the German hordes as to bring more equality in strength to the fighting forces. And, all along, the British and French commanders have not left outside their calculations that staunch band of Americans, exceeding 100,000 men, who are fully trained and equipped and anxious to lend their aid to the task of defeat-

ing the Germans. Daily the German losses in men killed or wounded continue to augment Us details are obtained from the Germans made prisoners. Some divisions lost as high as 75 per cent, of their effectives as they charged in mass formation against the British and French machine gunners and riflemen. Companies withdrew from the fighting with their combative strength reduced to forty men. The latest accounts of the fighting from the various war chancelleries, show no important new change in the battle front. Only minor operations took place on portion of the front south of Arras held by the British and little aside from artillery duels occurred between the French and the Germans on the lower end of the line. The fighting between the big guns was particularly heavy between Montdidier and Noyon, where the battle line bends eastward and Which is, a danger spot of great importance to the Germans, the' breaking through of which by the French would necessitate a rapid withdrawal of the Germans eastward from the Amiens sector.

Although the Germans have been bombarding British positions in Belgium, particularly at Passchendaele, and along the Goeberg, northeast of Ypres, there is no indication as yet that an infantry attack is contemplated. In addition to a continuation of their bombardment of Paris with a long range gun the Germans again have endeavored to drop bombs on the French capital from airplanes.