Newspapers / Wilmington Morning Star (Wilmington, … / March 11, 1918, edition 1 / Page 1
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I , f - ".-fv'.-v:-:-,; A:'.'' w THE ;. ;v -fir- ' 9 . Fair Monday, "colder on the -coast-Tuesday fair, warmer in interiorJ V Complete . Service of THE- Associated ' Press : WILriKUtQjf, N: C .MONDAY MOB2TIKG. MilltCH 11, 1918 V V V JS-Sft.B 1 . ."Til Ml r! l lltfrt f DAY IS NOT FAR QFF WHOLE NUMBER 39,348 WHEN ALLIED ARMIES MUST 'MEET ATTACKS Continuation of Patrol Fighting Indicates Germans Have Been Heavily Reinforced. ALLIES ARE v CONFIDENT Germans Have Tried Every Trick Ihey Have in Stock on Amer icans Without Success. TENSION GROWING DAILY SECR ETARY BAKER LAHDS IN FRANCE Secretary Baker Reaches France to See Result of Work. (Associated Press Summary.) Xewton D. Baker, the American sec retary of war, has successfully passed through the submarine zone and reached a French port. The continuation ' off the patrol at tacks by the Germans ajl along, the Western front in France and" Belgium indicate that their lines Having been heavily reinforced, the day is. not far distant when the Entente armies and the American forces Tfill he asked to wkhstand thrusts of a. more serious nature. .. - . Allies Are Confident. ; Caused by the firmness of the Brit ish, French and Americans in meeting the enemy assaults in the last few weeks and the feeling of optimism taat prevails xrom headquarters staff to the men In the : trenches, a-warm reception may be expected by the en emy wnen he launches : his attack. In the past fortnight from Belerlum to the Swiss frontier the Germans have essayed minor attacas, i in nearly m or which r they have been beaten before, they reached the v Entente trenches. .Where 4 a footing , luckily, as obtafned the""Germraure"Df the position generally was " short-lly-. ed, for counter-attacks - expelled them. Haven't liented V. S. Line. Everything: in the wiv of mnrtfrn warfare even all the cunning devices ot inghuumess " which the German aMid fire has been trifert flca-inat tt SAFE WITH PARTY : ;;':;: Cr' "' ' .'-",; ' .- ' . l T .. .. Head of War Department on Tour in Search of First Hand Infor-; ;' mation of Conditions. TO CONFER WITH ALLIES - ITALIAN NAVAL A EROPLANE IS FASTEST MACHINE IN THE WORLD , - - " ' ' - .. - ., . ..... : .v , - . . ' r-&'Ji'i. ,'- J ;''"gJ.:;-:';i'''''-v't: t ::.v-7l' Goes as n War Representative of President and Not as a Diplo mat, Which Is Significant. ; Paris,. March 10. The ; American Sec retary off War, Newton D. Baker, has arrived at a French port. : ; Americans, but nowhere has th ene my .been able to d-ent the. front hel by Gen. Pershine's men.- On the con trary, the Americans vhav answered aii tne dej-man offensives with a.spir- or great bravery and although thv nave suffered some casualties they nave maae the enemy fel the effects of their guns and rifle fire. One thing nai cas been anrxirent In 'n.11 thA. af frays that have occurred In that strip of territory between - the trenches known as Xo Man's T.anrt 1 tvai tva Germans do not like oomintr Into .ana-tO-hand Pnnnntor tit V. Americans and invariably give ground 53 the face of their vifinns n.nr.Hin attacks. ' - - Fighting Growing Everywhere. In Franc. anfl piritim v. along the pntiro fto-v.;.,. " . -Northern Italy is heightening and we also the natmi i ... v-ii feefc-t, .iAAAA LO ae artulerv rinia .ooam(n.i t :7CJ .V wvuilu6V Cl6Iiai- ln . . -i-i" ai,u oilier ngnung. pubtless with the spring thaw. th ..in enaeavor to force his way --" tut: mountain regions out upon Qe Plains of Venetia qt.i riave riv-pr on? m hls northern armies. ' Here, nnw- er the Italians v.o-rri. i. i . forced by the British and French 4arJinarv pnr.m,nt,.a Ncted ---.uiiti,io may uo. cjl- RrWi.l. 1 " ,uaian armv i a;aas m . pected to release thousands of Turks 20 might be sent 91,., ..u ' ODeratino- ; s " iiieaopoiamia ana a:estine. the. -Rit.-ci. , Jese tWO re?ians ar.r.or. W a tS,- ,th of them again have drly- larshTi ; S forward, Lieut. V Gen. nohI hvinS captured -Hit, on the ad 9j ov mnes west oi Bag- arn. General Allenby In Palestine, "Dth v Iorward for, an average naf --"v.u l wo ana mree mixes f JeruJaie "thirteen mllea northeast titil11 , ass,ia Information. 1 irae t u,lwuai intormatlon has on in p., ..v.! uiu5 iuo onuo- ssia as re&ards either Great aria tT Russia or Eastern SI- rp r:lls iroin Sweden say that :ry has i 11,litn iniantry and artil-. Jiniana, lanamg at bo fr ue?. Finland, land issan- , l"e A,and Islands. The ,steav,)ri . General . semenoff, i i0a of thl f,l G?tw.n. the OPPOSI- 'as-ihol- ""neviKi along the "-Siberian rano-tr :c.5.- 13 dec-iiL; faPanese foreign : minister aject dT m the Diet t discuss the iiri " "Pan 8 intervention' In SM- Stn . : ' : BritisH lwmbed by Britlsli.; rbed t., n have successfully y at ,,, a-iiiiier motoriac- th fefri' where tor a olng :aB ",Lensive manufactura of air. Nitin.' los' has been in. progress. 'Won ai. ctores and the railway tar!,..rJ were bo-mhpH Hnrlnv Ilia fcyiiu. lca was carrifl nut t wt tlO.S.S CAMPlr.v .o-. .... rui .ur- , . WEEK OF - MAY- 20 b.fCanvnt' "C.h i--In -aimounc- P11 e w" ; 111 Ine Postponement 6U for a ajr u OI ts cam- .ind thfCA0nd "OO.OOO.OOO war re ini, ' l"e American - 4void thT" at the Purpose was t!l th!rrtrSSi.bilit3r of interference iSaiStt Hay luienaed to! start" the -Washington, March 10.- Upon hear ing of Secretary Baker's safe arrival in France through The Associated Press dispatch , from Paris, the war depart ment tonight . announced that : the - sec retary's visit is purely military and hot diplomatic jand is, for purposes of in spection, and personal conferences with military officials. Mr. Baker is accom panied by Major General Willinam - M. I Black, chief of engineers; Ueut, Col. M. I Brett and Ralph Hayes, his pri vate secretary. ,: . - . - Department Issues Statement. .. No official report on the secretary's arrival - had ' been received-' The - de- parrment issued this statement; C"A -cahle d!snatch-from Pa.ritOTTi- Aesocj,ated f Press tonight ? 'announces the arrival at a? Frenchr porf of . the secretary of war.' r v ' "POr some time Secretary Baker has aesirea to visit the headquarters of the American .expeditionary forces. He sailed from an American port about February 27. . . " "Secretary Baker has not determin ed the -length of trme, ha wilii ramnin in France, but ; his stay will , be long enough to enable him to make a thor ough inspection of the American, f orces abroad,- and to hold Important conferences! with American military officers ' ' " . .. ' - - "It ,is expected that not only will Secretary Baker visit the American headquarters, but his inspection tour will cover construction projects, In cluding; docks, railroads nd ordnance bases, now i under way back' of the American lines. . ."The secretary's visit is military and not diplomatic. It is essentially for the purposes of Inspection ana person al conference with military -officials The secretary of war is accompan ied by Major Gen. W. M. "Ria.r-.lr TJnt Col. Li. M. iBrett, and Ralph M. Hayes, private secretary to Mr. Baker." ' .To-See Concrete Revolt. Secretary !' Baker nlans to (inenri - a brief time in France, Inspecting in. per son the concrete . results already achieved ' in I the efforts of his : denart- ment. to place in the field this year an army that will be a factor in the cam paign. On J the eve of his denartnrA Mr. , Baker told members . of, the press who have been In the habit of-seeing him every -day that he did not expect to be away for any considerable lentrth of time.' I . The secretary and- his nartv left Washington without any other attempt at concealment .of - their movements nan a request ' that the .press refrain from reporting his departure. The newspapers again worked In hearty co operation to make - the Journey as safe as possible: from German submarines for the party.- No4 hint of the trip has been printed. - Hai Been. Eager Go. For several months the war secre-. tary has been eager to see for himself conditions at the front and to talk over with General Pershing, the man. upon whom the full burden ef'remonsihintv for. the entire war Droeram in Wmnna has been "placed, the many problems mat nave. arisen to impede the carry ing out .-of jthe department's plans. It was Impossible for General Pershing to come home! for such a conference. . Mr. Baker;- therefore, determined, af ter many conferences with. President Wilson,-to go himself on An inspection tour 'which will, he believes, better fit him for his great responsibility In meeting General Ftershlne's reaulre- ments in : lighting- men and materials and keeping-Jn operation, a supply line more than 3,000 miles long.j -' " Tell Prnlng American' Hopes It vis -regarded as probable-, too. that the secretary, will take tne opportunity io iniorm tne American commanaer m the field very fully as to all the hopes and aims of the government which are at stake in the war. ' Mr. , Baker Is ; the first member of Presiden t .Wilson's ' cabinet : to go to the battle ' zone. : Out. of his t conferences, not only with General Pershing, but with . the ; leaders of - the French " and British governments as well,.. will come direct information for: the president as to what la ' transpiring in '' the .. allied countries to aid him In ' shaping his future course ., :; .t ,r The . war 'BeeretArv I In " TihimnA the president's "official renresentatlve. and the fact, that it is - his war secre tary, and not-a diplomatic representa tive Is regarded as evidence ; of tho de termination, of the president " to press the war fcggTessiveiy to victory, r , i ' :k r; . . . r GERMAN SWEEP INTO RUSSIA IS MINIMIZED BY WAR DEPARTMENT MAJOR TASKS WILL ENGAGE DURING THE BESS Two-Billion-Dollar Urgent Defic iency Bill, War finance and Changes ii Draft. ' RAILROAD BILL IS READY Senate Will Today Discuss Selling Waterfront Properties of Ger man Ship Lines. 1 The wonderful nrnpruss nf ovotinn n T-i'.iJ..'l:, . . ' v . , - 1 . f .... -there was an interesttog incident aTven ce.AibnTS? iXnJaUon5a!r?fIe: Three-iweeksago of the Adriatic to protect her-from the attacksTf r J!,tn IvS dot the skles over the Queen hydro-aeroplane of a new -mS? TnSw one day a Macchi -Macchi. furnished with an Isotta-Frafth in. friendly race. The. race, and made a new record of 140 mil e7an hoUr ' the of which we reproduce a comparative Pl"ra., an. Macchi, STiiGi. Estimated at From One to Five WOm as a Result of Saturl : day 's Terrific Tornado! KNOWN DEAD NUMBER FIVE Very Feathers From ? Cklcfcens .Were Blown Away, livestock JScattered, , and Traffic Badly Crippled. ' ; ' . Many Injured. . . , . Lima, Ohio, March 10. Five persons are known to be dead, several , others are. reported killed, scores are injured, scors. of - homes j were s completely or partly . demolished ana . hundreds : of barns and outbuildings were razed, by the -.. tornado, which - traveled - across northwestern Ohio- early last evening. Estimates of property damage range from one to Ave million dollars. . ' No serious damage was crone In any of. the larger cities, most of - the. de struction . having 'been reported from country districts. The tornado : began in Van Wert county, on - the Ohio-In- aiana siaxe line, ana traveled In a northeasterly direction, lessening, in in tensity until It. died out east of .Tiffin. Towns', suffering ; the most were Van Wert. Middle Point. Convov.v T.I ma Deshler, Hamler, Continental, Ottawa, Findlay, Napoleon, Holgate, Miller City and .Tiffin. , , . Van Wert Hurt Most.'' i ' ' Most of the damage was. done in Van Wert county., - ; , : Three of the dead were kilieit a t vr near Middle Point ; Van Wert county, the tornado ..swept - a path from 100 ; yards to half a mile wide. . . Miller City, Putnam county, was hard hit.- Seven persons ,two of whom may die, . we re Injured there One. side of a large Catholic church was blown .In. ' At ;FIndlay. many - small huiidinV-a were wrecked and the roofs of -several business houses were blown pir. Roofs of two business blocks were lifted at Tiffin and many small buildings' were .CAW. ' ' - -- Cioverdale,' Cuba, Dupont and "Contl-. nental also suffered. ' ' - " Throughout the storm district -hundreds of persons received minor - Inju ries,, caused .by , flying, glass, and aebris. Twelve persons are imported seriously injurea. . -.,-? . - - SNIPERS BUSY ON NO ADDRESSES ON lliiRlliAilpLIS . I 1 . ' . . . . . .. . - - ' - ! Better Weather Brings Increase in War Game y?hvif$6k ; ; diers'Are Stationed. - - , : . RESPECT FOR RED CROSS American Soldiers. Cease Firing When Germans With Emblem Appear to : Remove Bodies of Comrades .'' Shell. : - IT'S SENEGA COUNTY. OHIO. HIT BY TORNADO SUNDAY MORNING . Tiffin, -O., March 10. A tornado .'Visitf ed , the west 4 and . middle? portions, of Seneca- coulity i eariy J this . f morning, causing thousands 'of dollars' worth' of damage. . i : . . . '. . . , At Bascom, several" miles " west "of here, the car; barns', of .the Tlffini'.Fos- tona anq niasiern interurDan company were, demolished, six- big cars in jthe barns being damaged, i Poles, aiong the traction 'line were blown down,' trees were uprooted and chimneys .- blown down ,: f ''..; ifH: yy. : In Tiffin -the roofs were : lifted trn-m two business,, blocks. .The- damage; is heavy : in -the west - north" and" central parts r'of vthe ; county. ' Many Z buildings; were carried - from: their foundations and set down In adjacent fields. , , ' -.i HANCOCK COUNTY SUFFERS : :' -: -:- . : Damage amounting; to . f aoooo v - Findlay; OhI 9, March 10 Damage es timated at; ?200.000 ' wasidone-invahi (Coatinued r On rage :Two" Vfe' With the American Army in France. Saturday, March 9.(By The . Asso ciated Press.)-USome of the Americans in " a -listening poet;, in front of their line west of, Toui ' early' this morrilne "discovered an enemy, ,. patrol fixing their ; own 'wire i, and-' promptly . opened fire. . The German's" retreated leaving two of their number' hanging on the barbs. . . . ; ; -;- 1.- Some i hours after daylight a party: of five Germans; , t.w'o infantrymen -and three Red 'Cross workers emerged from' the . enemjr lines and started vfor xneir comrades . entangled in the wire. The Americans sawthe Red Cross brassards and; did not Are on the party, which - removed the bodies. ? -' .There has , been, increased sniping activity along the whole of the Ameri can front during! the last 24 hours. One enemy posti gave the Americans special trouble during the night, plac ing. -well-aimed ..bullets' on certain points of the line. After daylight the; post still continued working from shell holes iwith periscopes. ' American snip-r ers tried.. to silence, the enemy from their line, but were - unsuccessful. ; ''.. Gameof Sniping the' Sniper. . . . A snining patrol was fh nnrironi. by the- Americans 'and";went ;out " in uivau aajaignu Tne reBUit or - this -expedition ".has not. beenv repprted. -iThe game of sniping th'e. sniper Is stlll con tinuing.. Reports; from - vttmnn nir.t, show .that, enemy , riflemen are.- endeav-: pnng.,10 -pick., orr American troops, j ; - Today was . the warmest In many weeks. The . weather was X tine and with Just . enough ground haze to make sniping conditions Ideal. All V the Americans who were' not on dttty tooie advantage o f the 'hot sun- to thaw put and dry their clothes. ; . ; 'y .. " ; . : . . Germans .Throw' Gas Shells. J' During last pigftt and today the Ger man dropped "phosgene 'shells on "sev eral of the. American batterv nnoii.no and, -mustard -shells jinthe rear of the line. Three eas alarms were - tHvm -n the front twlth4h;av-tew hours, m owing to the: Quickness of the -Amrtan adjusting; .theirs gas -masks -th -nh1ia did ' no daniaee. . Th mnafoM .i.t. for-, many, houc$ to- the - spot, where -a shell , falls and . soldiers neartv rt. riencea stinging; sensation ln'! their eyes WarJpepartinent Sticks to Its De- wrnunation to Give Out Noth ing But Soldiers- Names.' FOLLOWS TOENCH ADVICE Columns of Names Without Identifying Aaaresse. WIU ; Lead to Confusion But Enemy Agents- Will , . ; t-? ';' i Suffsr,.Too.";".;'l.-;:; . Washington. March. 10. The war de partment1 gives no indication of yleld- iva. ueiermination to, withhold the home: addresses :. of -soldiers rir wounded, or who die of other causes in France.;' " . . ' 1 v ' " "y ' Basing its position .on the' objections the .French government made 'to Gen eral Pershing: against the '.- American method of .issuing casualty lists, -the de Pa?tmejit intends to meet objections in congress and from 'the public with the answer - that - the old system 'betrays valuable military informatinn enemy1 and. the fact that the nearest J On one end of ,th-AmHinii eneiny laid down a barrage, after hay ing concentrated, a . rathert heavy - bombardment.- .The American artillery put up a counter-barrageaSj a precaution against a raid, .but no raid iivAUn. Jjrhlle this i was.- going on the enemy town directly in the rear, but the nox ious zas did nn flnmipn . rvn tv. .tv r- . - ; ' . ' via? -er.end.rof the line ; the, 'American gun-. 1 nersiaiaaown a. oarrage.on the I ene my line.,, iAll.alongthev ; front the America -nartilleristsshejled - the Qr ' 'rviContlaued qj? Page Two.)-!' , - . .- CO relatives Of SOlrlfpr a arc viuwanjr IIUL1-. fled hours before they could g'et tlie in formation from 'the newspapers! '; The .committee on public .information ukwumhub us siana that the mere names of. soldiers, without home ad dresses toidejatify them - to neighbors and IriendS ot prevent confusion with wmwr-men or- similar name, are 'so de void of news value that it.will not fa- sue the lists. Therefore the lists will continue to De issued once a. -'day from .me. wace or Aajutant General McCain -J -. Follow Frrnoli PI.. , . , Pointing out that the-French publish iiu vaauaiiy lists at all, but -merely no tify; the relatives. ficials give as, their explanation of t,a new move that the enemy by scanning vuvv liuuiyiBie casual iv nam aa. .th.v . m .Hw . ha.ve previously been issued is enabled v piece out a lair iaea of the identity uj.. we .troops . comronung, aim. . Although, under the new. plan, rela tiyes. will, be notified and, officials ex pect, publication- of names of trooDS 1 1 43 1 .1 . . . . uuo, meir-way into. local newspa pers, it is felt that the publications will xje wiaeiy ecatterea and that the task of assembling the names from oil newspapers of the country and consoli- aa.wng: mem into military information would be s6 tremendous that from the aspects of a spy systemit is practical ly impossiDie. ., y la 'the; smaller cities, and towns it is assumea the mere r mention of " a sol diers name will lead to reaiiv Mahha cation and publication' without a great deal' of effort, but in the great , cities this - is accounted well-nigh impossible unless 'relatives themselves notify the newspapers as mey receive -telegrams xrom cne war department. . - ' ,: ' -WArnlng About Similar vnn,.. In promising to quickly send -official notmcarions to relatives. nowAWAT- .war department-is careful towarn the puDiic: tnat it must not identify; men by their names alone,, because , there .--are many;, similarities of . names 'in. ! the army; $ Unless . a. man's .relatives have received an Official . telegram .concern ing him; the .department says, they must assume, that some : other, man of - the same, nme ,isref erred . to.. . :. ; .. ; ; -h. It . is estimated - that . in - Wa C f kV no w .abroa&i there are hundreds of men .wit.aout aa.mes quite common ana many thousands wlth.naems differing only in speillri g" "or perhap s I nl tial a.' . It has ' 1 ' . - iwuuuuuea oa jrage xwoi - . Washington, , March 10 Congress begins this week-with the long. debated railroad control bill 'apqut ready to go Declares It Only Another Futile , Effort to Shift Center of Grav-. ity of War From West. . . EXPECT HUN OFFENSIVE . - - No Beason For Thinkingrmans Have Abandoned Plan's For : Grand JUsault. ALLIES' ALERT. DEFENSIVE American Troops Now Hold Trenches at Four Points. Washington, March 10. Germany's sweep into Rusia is commented on in the war department's weekly military review as another futile attempt on the part of the Germans to shift the centre of gravity of the war, which still re mains on the western rr'ont, where the Teutons face the Frenca, British, Ital- . " . - - i 1 v-ul-u" ittwo.me ftcnua, xriiisn, itai to President: Wilson and .three major Ian and Belgian armies and the ever tasks at the head of Ito lecriRltivn nro. gram disposition of the '- two-billion dollar. - urgent .deficiency . bill with amendments authorizing s the , sale of enemy property in the United States, the" war finance' corporation measure and changes in tse selective draft law. The conference report on the railroad bill comes before the senate tomorrow and : thn goes to "th hous:; . Adoption In both bodies v not. "later than Tuesday is anticipated. :-: - - : : ; ' i . . Sell Enemy 'Property. . The , administration .:' amendment tn 1 tne-aenciency appropriation-bill to em power tne president to i sell .enemy propwty.andv'toacire'vtitlft. to the piers 01 . tne. prth German Ltloyd and Uamburg-Amerlcan : lines 'at.- oboken lfcF:, .-COmes Ub-in th& SHat thmnrrnv with approval of. both forecast. ; Debate in criticism ' Of- Germany's commercial intrigues -is -eipectfea, there ;may be some - opposition 4to jthei HoboTren --nio.f proposal ontheigrburid. that they : al ready, are ' being used - by- the govern ment. " i . 5 ;. - ; . In the house, the war finance eomnr. ation,- much . amended and modified since its passage py. -the senate, is to follow V the " legislative' "appropriation bill, probably Wednesday or Thursday. :i x ' : Various . Draft 'yrovialon. The draft legislation Is due' 'to h brought first, before 1 the senate earlv this week. The Drincinal' nrovixinna o lu wiuuge tne.. oasis 01. quotas irom state populations S to : th : number of men in Class 1 arid "to. register men at taining 21 years of aere-since June s. registration, day. , Another bill bearing on the. draft law! authorizinc the iro ident to furlough men for acrieifftnrai service, passed. f last week by . both bodies of congress is -slated to jro to the .president tomorrow and on Wed nesday the, senate; foreign relations committee expects .to. consider. prompt ly the reciprocal draft treaties with Great Britain' and' Canada and a. reso lution making- such alien, draft treaties enecuve. - ; -. . , . ;- . , Three senate investigations, into the loyalty of. the national German-American Alliance, the' food situation and the alleged price-fixine o fthe. food ad ministration and the shipbuilding nro- gram will continue this week. . ' Additional Ship Hearings. Members of the Southern Pi m Man. elation will appear Tuesday before the senate commerce committee in its ship ping Inquiry and on Wed n end a it committee will hear further evidence regarding the. Hog' Island project- Agricultural producers will appear tomorrow before the senate agriculture committee to discuss food . problems, particularly., wheat production and the effect of fixed prices on planting and the harvest. .'..;;-' ;.:,.: Further discussion of the Overman bill, proposing greater, latitude for the president In . reorganizing- CO vern m en agencies. Is planned tomorrow ; by the senate judiciary-committee, hut final action is not. expected . for several weeks. - . - r . Rapid progress is being made at both ends ; of j the capitol on aDDronriation measures. ; . f . , , MAJOR PETERSON WILL r y ATTEND RALEIGH COURT 1 . Wake County Sheriff Advised That He Will Appear Monday or Tuesday. Trial Marc 15. Raleigh, N. C, . March . 10. Major Georgej I . Peterson, : assistant quarter, master. Camp Jackson; who 'was called out in .Wake county court last - week for failure to appear to answer charges of embezzlement, alleged to have been committed while he was , paymaster general. North Carolina national guard, will be in Raleigh -Monday or Tuesday, according: to information received, by Sheriff J. H. Sears, of Wake, county to day.. - . , - i Maior Peterson's trial ha . heen f for Friday, March 15' - Archer Signs with Pittsburgh. Pittsbursrh. Pa- March in Timmt. Archer, former " Chicaeo National ietroit catcner has signed a contract 1 accumulated material.- apparently with growing American forces. ' There, the review says, lie the key positions bf the war. - .' , : ' ' " American : troops now occupy trenches at four seprte points and, as was recently disclosed, in the principal sector their front Is four and a half miles long. They have been constantly ' engaged, the department says, and the scope of their activities is being con stantly extended, v... , j . Still Expect German- Offensive. Nothing is found In the situation by -the department .to indicate that the Germans have abandoned heir plans for a "great offensive In the west- and it- says that the allies, while assuming an alert 'defensive, are content to let the enemy brak himself against their im. . pregnabl line. . i 1 . Intense - air activities 'dnrino- tna weeK are noted. wittr-th-v- totem Awt"- that enemy valrcraff. were hmnrht down' On' the western' line a lone whfin the allies lost only 88 machines on all fronts during the same neriod ' Tha enemy loss, on all fronts is placed at 273.. - -. '-' - ' -. ; The review, in' part, follows: ' West Remains War Center. "In Bpiteof: the tact -that I20.nbn square miles of Russian territory have been invaded during the past three weeks and the enemv now sweenmp. forward into the heart of Russia and nas-gs.cnea a point, within 70 miles of the 'capital, nevertheless the center of gravity of the war ' remains in the west. i " .; ; " . : . "The Germans 'have' for the past three and a half years done all In their power to; upset the gravity and shift it eastward." ThiB explains the succes sive blows' struck in Rusia and later in the Italian theatre. t "Notwithtandlng the diversions ol the minor campaigns 'in Mesopotamia, Palestine and the Balkan front, the key. positions ot the war are .Fra.nna - and Flanders. ' 1 Situation as Now Seen. ' . ' "Here the. strategic position remains relatively constant. "The enemy is comoletiner the redf'a. .' tribution of available forces. There are some new units flowlntr into the linen in the nature of replacements. . "Nothing in the situation should lend us to estimate that the Germana have abandoned their plans of a maior of fensive in he west. - , "Considering tactical dianoaitiona we note that the enemy has developed two - DrlnclDal axes Of activif-V. the ona rttv-: otlng on Rheims, the other In Alsace In iront 01 ljuneviiie. . 'The allies." while assiiminc an oleW defensive, are resting content while al lowing the enemv. tn hreaV the strength of his assaults against their impregnable linerr - ' . ' , The morale of the French and -Rrit-' ish forces has never neen better. Thew are keenly anxious to give battle to the enemy, connaent. or their superiority. uur iorces nave oeen constantly en gaged. The scone ' of their aftt.ivitfea ia.- ' being daily ; extended. ; The number of our detachments In the line is increas. lng.. We now have troops In the trenches at four separate' points. . : "At dawn on March 5 the enemy at-: tempted a strong raid -against one of our advance posts further south. - A'his ' thrust was repulsed with a loss to the enemyr . Our casualties were slisrht and no prisoners or missing were reported. The French generals commanding this sector congratulated our commander on the splendid manner ln which our troops repulsed the assailing columns. "We now hold; four and a half miles of the battle front in our principal sec tor. - Beat Down Liquid Fire. "On March 7 the enemy, making use of liquid fire, advanced - to the assault ' 'V against our trenches. Tftls Is the first -time, this .weapon has been tried out against our men.' ime assaulting col umn was repulsed and the (German ' were compelled .to -abandon' the flame. - thro wing, apparatus, which. was captur- -ed and later brought Into our lines. . - "During j this attack ; the .lquid fire reached a trench segment which con tained none of our men and "little dam- v age was Inflicted. ' , "Our own .patrols are. continuously ' ' out on. scouting;, missions, keeping in close contact with the enemy. , ' . '. . Tin our Toul sector tne Germans are carrying 'on extensive . nrenaration continuing to bring up fresh units and " to play- this ; season, with tti mm- burgh National 1 6a true Mutt.' ft wa riounced -here today. Arcner, who was srlven an unconditional release k. Chicago, club last-; year, .started his ma-- jor - league career with Pittsburgh In a: view to undertaking more extenaiva operations. - -. ; - ' ' v French : Romt Out Germans. , Turing f.he period Under review, tht French alotg this front have remainso relatively inactive, however, , th .CContinued Oa Page Two).
Wilmington Morning Star (Wilmington, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
March 11, 1918, edition 1
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