WHAT IS IT?

Levin Daily Chronicle, 23 April 1918, Page 3

WHAT IS IT?

Australia's Grave Menace.

THE REALITIES OF

WAR."

MAY COME AT ANY

MOMENT.

Sydney, April 23. The Sydney Daily Telegraph publishes the following Melbourne telegram : Within the past 48 hours information has come to hand pointing to the probability that the realities of war will soon be brought before Australia in a most convincing manner. Steps are being taken by the Defence authorities to cope with the situation which may arise at any moment and assume grave proportions. More than this cannot be said for the present. Germany's Bottled Army. LUDENDORFF'S BiLUNDER ALLIES STRONGER, " HUNS WEAKER. ) Received this day, at 9.35. London, April 22. The Morning Post's Paris correspondent says: The German masses, by their very numbers are now bottled in a narrow stretch of country where they are unable to go forward or properly provision themselves. Experts believe that Ludendorff's cardinal blunder was in not throwing his whole reserves on to Montdidier where he might have brought about a war of movement. Possibly Petain's aeroplanes spread disaster among the German reserves and prevented this. . . There are now a million Germans in (he* triangle bounded by Hazebrouck, Amiens and Noyon. Ludendorii's troops in this triangle were thrown into battle with a week's provisions. They are now marking time in country as sterile as the surface of the moon and nearly as difficult to revictual. The ground is constantly under the British and French guns and aeroplanes. No vital point of the Anglo-French front has been reached. The understanding between the Allies is complete. The past month cost the enemy one-third of liia forces, while the AngloFrench have grown greater. Accordingly the Allies are content toa bide their time. Washington, April 22. According 1 to an American officer just arrived at an Atlantic port from France, General Foch s reserve armv totals one million men. The 'officer adds that the French gallantly prevented the Germans pouring through a ternporary gap between Grough g and Byng's armies. Small Attacks. ARTILLERY BUSY ON THE SOMME. Received this day, at 9.35. London, April 22. Sir Douglas Haig There were strong local attacks accompanied by heavy shelling last night against ouy positions in the neighbourhood of Mesnii and northward of Albert. After sharp fighting during which the enemy captured an advanced post the attack was repulsed. We improved our positions slightly during the" night 'in the yillers, Bretonneux, Albert- and Robecq sectors. We made various raids southward and nortliward of Lens. There is considerable mutual artillery activity in different sectors. The enemy's tire is chiefly | directed on our positions astride the Somme and Ancre rivers, also in the neighbourhood of Festuhert and Nieppe forest. STEADY GERMAN REINFORCEMENTS. Received 10.50 a.m. this fl^yLondon, April 21. Mr Hamilton Fyft'e says: German reinforcements are still pouring in. They are largely youths of nineteen, hefty ana of good material. The remainder consist, mainly of combed out workers. The 1920 class has been warned but has not yet been called up. _____