The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, JULY 17, 1918. THE RESUMED OFFENSIVE.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 July 1918, Page 4

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, JULY 17, 1918. THE RESUMED OFFENSIVE.

Once more a period of suspense has given way to a further German effort to defeat her enemies on the "West front. There have been statements cabled as to this being Germany's final effort, but such talk carries no conviction. As was the case in the preceding offensive, the enemy can claim an initial success, but apparently has been compelled to come to a halt, at some points at an]' rate. According to the statement made in the House of Commoins, General Foch is quite satisfied with the position, so that it may be assumed he has good reasons for his statement. The fact t'hat some portion of the German forces succeeded in crossing the Marne need not cause any flutter of excitement, for it is clear in the Rheims sector the Allies; are well prepared to eope with 'the enemy thrust. It would seem from the opening move that the; German objective is Paris, but v,*e have yet to leam whether or not this is merely a diversion that is meant to cover a larger offensive on some other part of the front, such as Amiens or Flanders. _ It. is stated that both sides are "asing different methods to those ''formerly adopted. This may be cd' no significance, merely indicating- that circumstances are not quite the same. The Americans have again been attacked, and demonstrated their ability to hold line. They now form a force that has to be reckoned with very seriously, for not ocnly are they numerically strong—and growing in strength from week to week but their fine fighting capacity has been thoroughly demonstrated, while their enthusiasm is unbounded. Coming as they , do as a fresh factor in the result, and having the honor of the great democracy of the United States to uphold, we may expect tin German sneer to be replaced by a! justified fear. They have more than levelled up the man-power odds in favor of the Allies, so that confidence in holding the enemy may well be fe.H\ It is as well to | again .emphasise the fact that the | loss of ground within safe limits is ■ nothing compared with other fac- , tors that tell in the long run. "We must be prepared for a desperate i ettort 011 the part of the enemy at more than one point on the West- ■ ern front. The confidence of Gen- ■ era! Foch is an indication that the position so far is satisfactory, for taeiASMea