BRILLIANT COUNTER-ATTACKS BY THE FRENCH

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 218, 3 June 1918, Page 5

BRILLIANT COUNTER-ATTACKS BY THE FRENCH

ENEMY AT THE MARNE ' CRISIS STILL ACUTE * ALLIED SUCCESSES IN TEE BALKANS AND PALESTINE ~ RAY OF HOPE FROM RUSSIA The situation on the Western front still gives cause for much anxiety and considerable speculation. The Germans have reached the Marne line on ten miles of front, and are making desperate attempts to widen the salient, attempts which the French, by a series of brilliant counter- ; attacks, have succeeding largely in holding, oven recovering somo of their lost ground. It is pointed out by one critic that tho capture of Soissons, with the expected capture of Reims, will givo the enemy the advantage of valuable railway communications with his supply base at Laon, an important junction. Other critics consider that in the light of the past two months' experience defensive tactics have, not proved a success, and urge that only with ah offensive effort can tho Allies hope for vie- . tory. The "Morning Post's" special correspondent in Russia, and also the "Daily Express" correspondent, profess to see a ray of light in the Russian situation. There are vague references to "tho Power which rules Russia," which is remodelling the army, and has at present/half a million tried men in the new organisation. In the Balkans, tho Greeks, backed by. tho French batteries, have carried an important height, and at the same time secured a large "bag" of prisoners and booty. Allenby's 1 troops have also made an advance in Palestine, advancing the line, near- 9 ly two miles. ' • . -a