PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 182, 22 April 1918, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

As a whole to-cky's reports from; the Western theatre convey decidedly Rood news. The amplified _ accounts now given make it plainer than ever that the enemy suffered a staggering defeat in the tremendous attack lw developed on Thursday last at Givenchy and further west—that is to say, on the southcm flank of the salient he has driven towards Hazebrouck. The detail facts supplied more than warrant the statements of correspondents that Thursday was a blade clay for the enemy, and that he was squarely and solidly beaten. The Germans have soldom sacrificed lives more freely than in this ill-starred enterprise, but tho measure of their success was to gain a, limited foothold in a few outpost positions. These have since been recovered, and the line fully restored.

The immediate outlook in the battle is promising. The./ Germans are only live miles distant from their objective of Hazebrouck, but their advance is flanked on north and south by British positions on high ground which they have failed to reduce in repeated and exceedingly costly assaults. This is a stato of affairs with .which' the Germans most Certainly cannot afford to rest content. Progress against tho flank.defences is essential if they are to improve their front and continue their westward "drive, but for the time at least the tide of battle secrasto bo turning more definitely against them day by day. _Tho defence is hardening mid the 'defenders are making the most of an exceptional opportunity of subjecting the enemy to an exhausting drain. The Germans, of course, are far from being at an end of their resources, but it is now patent that the second great thrust of their offensive hns involved them in which far outweigh the results achieved, and that they are badly placed to alter this state of affairs to their advantage.

It is always a good sign when the enemy, in compiling bis reports,! substitutes fietion for fact, and a glaring example of this practice ap- j pears in a Gorman communique which appears to-day. It is probable that the allegations regarding | the defeat of strong British a.1.-j tacks against Wytschaeto are a sheer invention, and that no such attacks wero launched: The statement that "fighting fluctuates at Festubert and Givenohy" is certainly not an accurate report of the staggering defeat inflicted upon the enemy in that region. But a still more definite reversal tho truth appears in the assertion that "in a bitter, strugglo at Morisol and M'oreuil we sanguinarily drove back strong French attacks." What actually happened in this areais fully described in a French official report and by correspondents. The French struck a measured blow and drove it h'omo with brilliant success. They captured somo hundreds of prisoners, and occupied heights dominating important roads and river crossings. Tho enemy in tho outcome is much' worse placed than ho was, in the area south of the Somme, to resume the drivo on Amiens, for which, as information stands, ho is still massing troops. * il * * WeWj as tiio battle is going, it is unwise to indulge in sued anticipations as aro voiced by tho New York Times in tho observation that "Fowl's counter-design should'take definite form within forty-eight hours." There is absolutely nothing in available news and information to justify this estimate of the situation. On the contrary there is every indication that the Allies aro content to fight a defensive battle as long as may be necessary to reduce tho enomy to a state of exhaustion, and aro ready if necessary to sacrifice further territory in developing their dosign. It is obvious, of course, that the enemy may bo using up his reserves much faster than he can afford and yet may still bo far from the point of exhaustion. Thero is much force in the observation made in an official review of the situation which appears to-day: "German .methods of trying to rush soldiers into precipitate action and trying to undermine tho patience and confidence of the civilian population are well understood." Tho Allies aro not likely to_ endanger their prospects of ultimate success by launching a premature counterstroke, and it is quite possible that tho defensive battle may be prolonged for many weeks to conic.