THE GERMAN EXCUSE.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 5 June 1917, Page 6

THE GERMAN EXCUSE.

A “GLORIOUS RETREAT.” German papers which reached England after the beginning of the German retreat were still reasoning merrily about Hindenburg’s “victorious” and “glorious” retreat on the Ancrc. The Frankfort Gazette entertainingly assures its readers that “the English are still suffering from the consequences of our movement on the western front.” Sir Douglas Haig’s advanced troops are described as groping cautiously “amid heavy losses” for touch with the new German front. The German public is quite evidently being successfully kept in the dark as to the substantial loss of ground which has been suffered. For the purpose, such statements as these are 'printed: “The enemy has only pushed his positions forward about a kilometre (five-eighths of a mile) since March 1.” The Frankfort Gazette continues: “The English attempted to accelerate their advance, but suffered such heavy losses is fighting against cur rearguard, whose base was naturally not sufficiently well known to the enemy, that they are compelled to resoit to the most cautious operations. Our troops have again discovered that the English are not the equal of either of our infantry or artillery in so-called improvised fighting. The war on this new section of the western front is no longer merely an affair of technical magnitude. It demands not only the strength and endurance, but agility and the most careful training. We hope that this reveal itself more and more plainly. Meantime, our troops

aAvait the course in the best spirits.” •'