THE GERMAN DRIVE

Taranaki Daily News, 3 June 1918, Page 4

THE GERMAN DRIVE

REACHES THE MARNE SITUATION SERIOUS BUT NOR DISQUIETING VERY HEAVY FIGHTING

A RACE BETWEEN FtM'S AND HINDENSiitG'S RESERVES

AN ANXIOUS SITUATION.

of French which occupied strong tfMea' sive lines south of the river with three divisions. By evening the enemy had advanced 12 mile®. The Crown Prince did his utmost to exploit the enterprise, the maifli effort being to widen the salient so as to secure more elbtfw room. THE ENEMY'S CENTRE ATTACK. The enemy, in the centre, achieved cottsideraible su<fcess- The Germans have now reached the right bank of the Maine, between Chateau Thierry and Donnans, for a distance of ten miles, and is now reported to be heavily attacking Chateau Thierry. The Germans were not equally successful on the wings, but Rheims will by no probability be captured, although the situation there is somewhat ofoscure. The British are still resisting northward of the town, and tihe French are hiding well the heights on the west of S'oissons, Which, with our resistance at Rheims, has narrowed the German salient. There are indications of tihe enemy beginning attacks eastward of Rheims. TRANSPORT OF ALMS' RESERVES. Tihe transport of British and French reserves is working quite, smoothly and rapidly now, strong reserves being on hand. There is reason to hope that tho eneany will not make a much further advance, although there will be an anxious situation for same time. The Crown Prince has practically used up the whole of his reserves, but, so far as we know, none of the reserves of yon G-allwitz or Prince Rupprecht's armies on the Crown Prince's left or right have yet been. used. Reinforcements could be obtained frpm these groups, but no considerable bulk are with Bupprecht on the Crown Prince's right; but it remains to be seen whether the enemy wall usa these oq Paris or Amiens. A MAIN OR SUBSIDIARY OFFEN- , SIVET 1 In reference to the difference, of opinion as to whether this is a main 01 subsidiary offensive, an authority says that probably the enemy did not know when he started whether it would become a main or subsidiary effort. The enemy has three objectives, apart from, the destruction of the main British army—•namely, the Channel porta, the separation of the Allied armies, and an attack on Paris. He has now used iis reserves for one or the oither, and, if held up at the Alsme by the French, he will attack towards Amiens, or, if the tide of success trends southward, will tihrow every man and gun into a direct march on Paris. GERMAN SBCRECY The Germans deserve credit for the secrecy with which they massed for the present attack It could not be considered a surprise, as we had definite information a day or two before tihe attack was impending, but tile enemy only moved up large forces the night befora He made no great use of artillery, depending on trench mortars to clear the entanglements. The enemy's initial success on top of these circumstances could hardly have prevented their afterdevelopment. That could only have prevented by our having large reserves available. We cannot have these at alt the numerous points. THE FRESMT SITUATION, The present situation is not due to our position, but is due to the unfavorable strategic situation. Anxiety is caused, not merely because the enemy in four days advanced 5G miles, but what really is serious is that the enemy has still very large reserves to throw in at any point. Until we know where they will be thrown in anxiety will continue. Already 25 German divisions have been identified, and they have probably used up 45.

A Race Between Foch's and Hin-

denburg's Reserves.

Germans Reach Mame on TenMile Front.

Enemy Gains 56 Miles in Four Days.

Paris Calm and Courageous,

Received June 2, 5.5 p.m. London, May 31,

The announcement that the Crown Prince Ji&b made a further advance of ten miles and reached the Marne has startled the public, and shows that the optimistic opinions of the military critics in London and Paris were not justified. The Westminster Gazette, in a leading jrticle, protests against the censor excising all the qualifying and crucial passages from its military correspondent's articles,and adds that General Maurice, of the Daily Chronicle, also complains that the censor's excisions made his comments appear more optimistic than was intended. BATTERING-RAM BLOWS. The latest messages from the front show that the armies of von Boehm have been swollen by fresh important reinforcements, which are attempting bat-tering-ram Wows towards Paris by two routes—the first past Vezilly in order to, reach the main railway from Paris to Niancy, and the second route being along the •valley of the Oise. The two manoeuvres hang closely together, as the Crown Prince cannot follow up the drive towards the Maine without assuring his right. FRENCHMEN'S GAIXANT FIGHT A French detachment put up a most gallant fight at Fere-en-Tardenois, holding up the Germans for seven hoursParis newspapers, commenting on the advance, strike a note of confidence and courage, despite the peril threatening the capital. Le Journal emphasises that the immediate necessity is to shield the valley of the Oise and engage iij a 'battle on the perpendicular line of Sbissons and Chateau Thierry. FRENCH ARMY STILL INTACT.

The French Army is still intact. Its material is not inferior to Germany's. The Allied air service is superior, and its soldiery fully equal to the Prussians.

General Maurice states that if the enemy captures Eheims he will be enabled to link up the railways running thenee to Mezieres and Laon The latter is especially valuable because Laon is an important junction witih railway connections with the Oiae valley, where the main German reserve has,, presumably, been waiting. Having secured Soissons, the Crown Prince will be able to re-txpen the line running thence to Laon, thus having two niore lines to feed the flanks of his battle-front. From this point of view, the Soissons flank is the more ousENEMY WIDENING HIS SALIENT. Yesterday, the enemy succeeded in pinching out the salient he created between Soissons and Noyon, forcing back the Frendh from the Oise and Ailette to positions northward of Epargny and Blavaucourt. The enemy's progress southward is serious, as it means he, for the time being, has made a definite breach in the Allied front, but if he is prevented from breaking westward towards Paris, and rolling up the Allied line to the north, he cannnot gain a decisive suocess oij this battlefield. THE QUESTION OiF RESERVES. Once more it is a race between Foch's and Hindenburg*s reserves. General Maurice estimates that the enemy has now used forty-five divisions. Therefore, while it is unpleasant to record daily some fresh enemy success we have the assurance that the danger is lessening, as probaJbly one-half of Germany's available reserves have already passed into the Crown Prince's hands. THE INITIAL ATTACK. A high military authority writes:— T'he Aisne attack was delivered by 35 divisions on a front of 35 miles. Two hours' bombardment effectively cut the entanglements, and the enemy completely overran the whole of the French lines. The British held until compelled to retire in order to conform with the French lines. i The Germans'efTected a passage of the -*jsne with little difficulty, despite a force

The enemy continues his propaganda, to promote the demoralisation of Allied troops. He is circulating reports, purporting to come from Australian and Canadian soldiers that the British soldiers fail in tlieir support. The publia should not he misled by isolated stories of this sort of in them.

A general in authority pays a tribute to the Americans' fine exploit at Cantngny, where untried troops not only captured a position, but showed fine disflip line and fighting qualities.—Prea# Assoc.

USE OF GAS SHELLS. Facilitating Enemy's Advance^ Received June 2, 5.6 p.m. New York, June 1. The New York Times' Washington correspondent report? that a high military nutliority states that the German use of mustard, oil, and gas-shells has ric.itlv facilitated their advance.— i Pres» Assoc.