The sun. [volume], March 31, 1918, Image 1

About The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920

Image provided by: The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundation

                
WEATHER FORECAST.
Fair and warmer to-day; fair to-mor
row; south and southwest winds.
Highest temperature yesterday, 61; lowest, 33.
Detailed weather reports on last pars,
IT SHINES FOPv ALL
VOL. LXXXV. NO. 212.
NEW YORK, SUNDAY, MARCH 31, 1918. ccvHght, mm, . rrm, ma mhA.a,
92 PAGES.
PRICE FIVE CENTS
In Ortnfer
New York,
GERMANS RENEW A TTA CK ON 70 MILE FRONT;
FRENCH LOSE 6 TOWNS; BRITISH HOLD LINE;
CRISIS NOT PASSED, SAYS LLOYD GEORGE
ALL AMERICA
DROPS AN HOUR
III WAR HASTE
Hands of Clocks, Tump Prom
Two to Three o'clock
in Morning.
TO KEEP IT WITH ALLIES
Daylight Saving Law Helps
Uncle Sam in Drive for
Victory.
One hour dropped out of to-day at 2
o'clock this morning. By act of Con
gress every clock In the United States
nlth a cor of patriotism left In Its In
r.aMs which, doubtless aim Included
many aged timepieces "made In Germans-"
looked straight Into the face of
li e moon In the small hours, and raisins
its minute hand solemnly toward the
heavens swore that It was 3 o clock when
the heavens said It was 3.
Late, or early, advices by telephone
raid that1 even In Philadelphia the clocks
wars put forward an hour early to-day.
And If any one here or there or any
where didn't stay up until 2 A. M. to put
Mi clock forward, or forgot to make the
clock Bay midnight Just before climbing
Into the feathers at 11 o'clock last' night,
that law breaking soul Is going to spend
an Easter which promised to be anything
but happy.
If there are folks so lax among the
churchgoers they are going to arrive at
their pews to-day when the dominie Is
Just striking the "sixthly" chapter of his
discourse, Instead or getting tnere be
fore the Easter services had begun, as
undoubtedly they had planned to do
And heathenish folk who so far forget
themselves as to spend the day at the
n-.oTlew-tnsteAeVejtf.ln church will find
suppose they also forgot to push the
hands ahead an hour last night or early
thl morning that the last o'f the cus
tard pies In the big fee-chure fillum
have been smashed all over the screen
by the time they have found seats In the
movie temples of art.
Old Ma Earth Skids.
All the country took a Jump at I A. M.
no sharply and suddenly thnt old Ma
Earth Is raid to nave skidded slightly.
And at that moment we Jumped up side
by tide with England and France at
least In the matter of clock tin many
nations of the Old World having had
the dsyllght saving system In practice
for about two years. There were opti
mistic souls who said they saw In the
'orward movement of our clocks a hope
"j. omen that perhupa soon we shall
also speed up enough to drop into step
w th England and France in another and
greater onward movement which Jusi
now 1 occupying our allies abroad.
President Wilson, It was learned last
i ,ht from Washington, haI considered
louing a proclamation to tho public In
which he had Intended to call the na
' in's attention officially to the Impor
tance of tho daylight saving movement,
especially In viar time. Then It was sug
?ted to the President that the news
papers throughout the country would give
wide publicity to the changing of time,
w rereiiiou the President decided that he
v.n iM leave th matter of spreading the
.-J'-a to th. new-papers'.
une utdnt have to be a newspaper
reader to lc,n. all about the big Jump
that time tnok if one were a resident
of the greater cit
All one had to do was to be a night
hawk. For In Manhattan and Brooklyn
and In surrounding towns there were
outdoor ceremonies, lnd music, choral
ringing and a general "onVlal" recognl
lon of the occasion, all of which began
before midnight and ended promptly at
: o'clock this morning with the formal
turning of clock hands on the Metro
j.olltan tower, at the Borough Hall In
Urooklyn and similar civic centres,
rowda cheering fr,om far below the
luminated clock faces as the big hands
Mere turned by one or another of our
im icicurjiivs.
Seise Time by Forelock.
Far away from Madison Square the
rommuters'of Orange, N. J., beat every
r.r.e else to It by advancing tho hands of
the clock on the old First Church In the
heart of the Oranges' business centre
sesterday afternoon. In Madison Square
President Marcus M. Marks of the Na-
rtn-.llU. da..l- i.anl.Hnn iari
the Job of setting the city aright by I
Jjmplng the hands on the Metropolitan
Life's tower clock ahead at the end of
an elaborate ceremony.
In Brooklyn United States Senator
William M. Calder doutole crossed the
fun and moon by sending the hands of
'he Borough Hall clock Instantly from
I to 3 o'clock, following much speech
making and music. And far to the
southwest the great clocks beneath the
road bronze shoes of William Tenn,
atop the Philadelphia City Hall, were
moved so far ahead that Philadelphia
to-day Is almost on time.
I.vory New York fireman woke up at
: A M. and took part In the clock ad
vnrlng ceremony whether he wanted
to or not. For at 1 :B9 A. M. to-dny,
')n time, tho test signal, eleven bangs
"r the gong, began to clang In all the
're houses with a din that shook open
eyes of the slceplesf firemen In the
mks The test signal was the Fire
'"pnrtment's way of telling the Are
'v".se lads to swing tho hands nround.
Mn at the same moment tl'e Police
T'epa 'ment'a station liouso telephones
eie ringing ill over the greater city,
h''. the vol-o with the snore nt the
' i'-r er.d of t'le line gave forth tho ofTl-
.1 message that ran: "It Is now 3
101 r "
erabSed desk lieutenant, roused
f om his breams, might truthfully have
answered to Headquarters; "Oh, la that
(CoitffrtMfd 011 ',,; l'Tgc.)
England's King Visits
Troops at the Front
LONDON, March 30. The King
left London Thursday morn
ing, according to an announce
ment in the Court Circular, and
after visiting the troops on the
western front, returned to Buck
ingham Palace to-night.
BAN ON STRIKES
INWARPLAKTSi,
Special Labor Commission
rides for Creation of Board
of Mediation.
UNIONS NOT ABRIDGED
Eight Hour Day Provided,
"vVith Pay Based on Customs '
of Localities.
Special Detpatch to Tax Scn.
Washington, March SO. 'There
should be no strikes or lockouts during
the war." This Is the principal recom
mendation In the report drawn up by the
special labor commission appointed by
the President and upon which unani
mous agreement was reached yesterday.
The report made public to-day Is likely
to have far reaching effect and Is re
garded here as one of the most Impor
tant declarations ever drawn up con
cerning the age long controversy be
tween capital and labor.
h mmrJ0"h,cT.hLCnh,h,sfXnre
month and upon which both sides wore
represented equally with William H.
Taft and Frank P. Walsh representing
the public, lays down certain principles
and policies which should govern rela
tions between capital and labor.
While the commission's recommenda
tions are of cburse not binding upon all
the labor unions, the fact that It was
signed unanimously with labor repre
sented by such men as William L.
Hutcheson. president of the Ship Car-'
penters; Frank J. Hayes, president of
the United Mine Workers; T. A. Kick
art, head of tho United Garment Work
ers, and Victor A. Oleander of the Sea
man's Union, Is regarded as giving It
sufficient weight as practically to fore
shadow Its acceptance by the labor
unions engaged in war imluhtrics.
Mediation Board Provided.
It will be for both sides, however, to
accept all the principles In the national
labor programme drawn up If a new era
In the labor world Is to be ushered In.
To. carry out the labor programme ad
vocated by the commission It will be
ziecessary to create at once a national
labor mediation board of similar com
position to the commission, which shall
pass upon disputes during the war. The
principles which shall govern its de
cisions are laid down as follows:
'There Bhould be no strikes or lock
outs during the war.
Rlt 1. Or..-l...
"I. The right of workers to organize In
trade unions and to bargain collectively,
through chosen representatives, is
recognized and affirmed. This right
shell not be denied, abridged or Inter
fered with by the employers In any man
ner whatsoever.
,n ablations or groups Tend to bargain
The right of employers to organize ,
esenta-
. This
dor In-
collectively through chosen represe
fives Is recognised and anirmea
clr,V. ohall nnl hm Henleil flhrldfffld
,r a ih s.. h. wnrker. in nnv
manner whatsoever. "lde and Probably the most brilliant
"3. Employers should not discharge soldier In France, has not caused the
workers for membership In trade unions! shock which would have followed even
or for legitimate trade union activities. a month ago. The Idea that the gen
"4. The workers In the exercise of I erallsslmo should be a Frenchman has
their right to organize shall not use co- j been growing here for some time.
arrive meumirei of anv kind to Induce At the time of the Interallied confer-
1 persons to Join their organisations or to
induce employers to bargain or deal
, therewith,
1
Ilxlstlng Conditions
1 In establishments where the union
I shop exists the same shall continue and
the union standards as to wages, hours
of labor and other conditions of em
ployment shall be maintained.
"2. In establishments where union and
Continued on Foiirfft Page.
SUN Smoke Fund Is
Near $250,000 Mark
VAT EST figures of THE SUN'S
Tobacco Fund bring the
gross amount up to almost $250,
000. How many smokes this
means for each American soldier
at the front is not easy to figure
out, but every United States
fighter has had some if he wanted
them.
Hear Muratore and Benson at
Carnegie Hall next Friday night,
when the "Fighting Preacher"
will tell how he came back from
"Hell," and the famous tenor
will sing for the smoke fund.
Read how it will cost you nothing
to get in on page 1, Section 2.
Yesterday s takings of coupons
and certificates in tho Schulto
and United cigar stores were
larger than usual because of the
fine day. A harvest therefore
for THE SUN fund boxes.
WARNING I THE SUN TO
BACCO FUND has no connection
with any other fund, organiza
tion or publication. It employs
no agents or solicitors.
BRITISH ACCEPT
FOCH AS CHIEF
OF ALL ARMIES
Lloyd George Cites Great f
Battle as Reason for '
Appointment. ,
JEW SACRIFICES NEEDED
Pro-,pang to Insnrc Final yictorv
Arc Going Forward, Pre
mier Declares.
London, March SO Premier T.lo'yd i
George to-day announced the appoint- I
ment of Oen. Foch as commander of the I
allied armies on tho western front. In i
making the announcement the Premier
said:
"For the first few days after the Ger
man army had launched upon our lines
an attack unparalleled In Us concentra
tion of troops and guns, the situation
was extremely critical. Thanks to the
Indomitable bravery of our troops, who
gradually stemmed the enemy advance
until reenforcements could arrive and ,
our faithful ally could enter Into the
battle, the situation Is now Improved.
The struggle, however. Is onlv In Its ,
., -, . .. ' ...
g"X .n f
War Cabinet in Char.
era the first day the War Cab-
tas been In constant session and In
hfFr'eTch-ana trtT.
ments. A number of measures have
been taken In concert between the Gov-
ernments to deal with the emergency
1 TVlrt anamt ha a haH Ida nne mi l U 1
advantage of fighting as on. army. To chlPlr t0 Cerlsy the enemy succeeded
meet this, the Allies have, since the winning about :,00 yards f the Brlt
battle began, taken a most important lih rear line, .but hl troops were blocked
decision.
"With the cordial cooperation of the
Rrlltsh and French Commanders In
.nM n Foch has been charged by
the British, French and American Hov
emments to coordinate the action of the
nlliij-1 armies on the western front.
Farther SarrlOces Needed.
"In nddltlon to the action taken to
nieu' the Immediate needs of the mo
ment it will be necessary to bring into
operation certain measures which have
lnng been In contemplation should a sit
uation such as the present nrrlve.
"It Is clear that, whatever may hap
pen It, this battle, the country must be
priparel for further sacrifices to enturc
final victory. 1 nm certain that the na
tl n will shrink from no sacrifice which
Is K qulred to secure this result, and the
necessary plans are being carefully pre
pared by tho Government and will be
announced when Parliament meets."
BRITISH TRUST FOCH
TO ASSURE VICTORY
C .
nuvuv "--
man an Generalissimo.
Special Cable Despatch to Tni Svx,
Copyright, 191; nil rights reserved,
Ionpon, March 30. There has been
a distinct change recently In the llrltlsli
' ,ltu1 yiwar,(I '" "'"V".?1 u, a
generalissimo In command of the allied
armies In r ranee and the se ection of
Ferdinand roeh. recognized here
( - .n tl4 n r U1aI u m tAfwtLtAPtsVlA 111 Ail'
I as the ablest strategist on the Allies'
. ence In Paris, when the Versailles Su
preme W ar Council first came into being.
It Is understood, an agreement was
reached that England would yield to the
desire of the Allies In the matter of
unity of command. Since then clrcum
, Htance have Influenced sentiment
strongly In its favor. From the begin
ning of the present battle the Flench
newspapers have agitated for the ap
pointment of a generalissimo, with little
or no opposition manifesting Itself.
Prominent statesmen have said in the
last few days that French generals al
ways are capable of producing a vic
torious plan of campaign at a critical
moment. Reports from Paris have
stated repeatedly that Gen. Petaln,
Field Marshal Halg and Gen. Foch are
working In the closest harmony and
understanding In the present crisis. Tho
Evening Standard says:
"To Gen. Foch, who won so solid a
success in the battle of the Marne. we
must give our trust and leavo him to
choose his own time and measures. Im
patience Is tho great enemy of success.
There are few things more disastrous In
war than a counter offensive prematurely
launched.
"Ever since the first days of the pres
ent battle the French press has revived
arguments for the appointment of a
generalissimo. The . logrc of this de
mand Is unanswerable. The enemy's
movements are directed by n single mlruf
and a einglo mind Is needed to meet and
defeat them.
"Pual control In a battle such as this
Is madnoss. Tho need for coordination
approaching tho enemy's unity of con
trol has long been felt In the Versailles
council. The first step to tint end was
the only step posslhle at the time In
view of national susceptlbllltiw , It obvi
ously was Inadequate for the quick de
cisions necessary In a crisis llko the
present
"Once the necessity for a generalls
slmo ts conceded military men every
where will recognize the transcendent
claim of Gen. Foch for the supreme
command."
Germans Ship Wounded
Home in Freight Cars
AMSTERDAM, March 30.
Trains carrying wounded
Germans from the battle front in
France are proceeding contin
ously along the frontier between
Germany and Holland, according
to a despatch to the Telegraaf
from Kerkradc.
It has been necessary to re
place hospital cars by freight
cur;!, in which the wounded lie on
straw and shavings.
-CORPSES STREW
ROAD TO ARRAS
German Shock Troops Suffer
Terrific Losses in Des
perate Attack.
WELLS ARE POLLUTED
Wreckage of Battle Leaves
Captured French Villages
Scarcely Tenable.
Special Cable Petpalch to Tnx r.
Copyright, tain all rlghtt reterxed.
London, March 30. fighting north
outh f the Somme River, telth a
description of the desperate German e-
tort to tajArra,. Uhout thought 'of
the cot tn Uvea, . described In a des
patch to the Daily Kxprcts as folocs:
Br PERCIVAfc PHILLIPS,
nr....... i,
March 0 (delayed,. -German
masses sre maintaining steady pressure
against the British right south of the
Somme. By crossing the Somme from
until all of our guns were . fsmovaa,
when we settled down upon a fresh line
further west of this position
This morning the Germans were mill
bringing up guns ami fresh divisions, but
the great attack hasnol 5 et materialized.
There are concentrations of the enemy
In considerable strength to-day around
Gulllaucourt, on the Amlens-Neslo rail-
way, a short distance behind the present i
front. Between
tack being the Twelfth Division, prls
osmon is uncnangen. ram oners of which say they were sent defl-
Somme the nORttlnn is iinchaneei
the Anero to Beaumonthamcl no action 1
of Importance was reported this morn-'
tng. Between Beaumonthamel Hnd Ar-1
ras It is quiet to-day after hard fighting.
Yesterday southeast of the Utter place
and also around Dncquoy and Ayete the
situation was one of comrjarnt vo calm,
obviously due to the German prepara
tionx for the next phaso of the battle.
Shock Troops Are Held.
The attack toward Arras yesterday
was made by a number of German
shock divisions, including tho 18th.
North of the Scarpe River the
Twelfth and Twenty-sixth reserve divi
sions, although they succeeded in gain
ing ground, could not penetrate at the
furthest point nearest the city nearer
than the support trenches of their old de
fences, which were taken a year ago.
Their principal effort was made south
of the river.
Our observers saw columns of German
Infantry coming up the Cambral road
1 from yisenartois and deb
tnc Montchylopreux. t
I ,,, B0Utnwt of Arril!t w
debouching out
the dominant
hlch gives a
sweeping view over city and battlefield
Tho main attack was made on a front
five miles long between the marshes
of the Scarpe and Neuvllle Vltasse. It
was difficult ground, covered as In the
case of tho Somme. battlefield, with the
fissures of old trenches craters and the
vailous obstacles which remained after
the British cleared the enemy from the
niitKklt-tM nf Arras.
The German assault divisions could
not push rapidly over this broken coun -
try and our machine guns punished them
terrlhlv as thev stumbled forward. The
German barrage had been very heavv.
Caps were torn In our entanglements, but
there remained sufficient wire entangle
ments to embarrass tho enemy, Prison
ers have told us that Arras was their ob
jective, to be attained at all costs. No
other order could have' made them per
severe In the faco of euch withering tire.
German Take flrsnie Hill,
At great sacrifice the Twelfth Division
obtained a footing upon Orange Hill by
9 oclock this morning. This inconsplc
nous Hour, like the greater eminence
alongside known as Telegraph Hill,
gives a good foothold for further opera -
tlons In either direction. Tho Germans
wero bent on capturing them regnnlless
nf casualties'. The fighting swayed up
and down tlio snaunw vauey rront ana
along the face of both hills. Eventually
our troops had to fall back toward a
Inner nnrrnw nhNArvAtnrv Hrtfre nearer
the city. Ing operations was made In the form of
When these troops were forced back ' a counter attack by a scratch force
It left tho flank of tho troops on their organized by an artillery officer and
right exposed, nnd the latter conformed , composed of miscellaneous units, such
their line by withdrawing a short dls- n battalions engaged In road work and
tance. We continued to hold the Arras- units engaged In signals In the evacuated
Doual railway line along the bed of the regions. Their legitimate occupations
Scarpe, defending It successfully against ' gone, this seml-lrregular force has
repeated attacks. Meanwhile the Ger- j already earned no small reputation and
man attack north of tho Scarpe was 1 haa done useful work supporting regu
mcvetlng with less success. Some of the jar troops which have been fighting for
bitterest lighting took place In tho ruins , a long time.
of Roeux, The Germans kent creeping At one stage of the battle when the
around on the north. Although the gar- i pressuro of the German forces was enor
rlson must have killed an enormous num- 1 mous it was absolutely necessary to give
her. the stream appeared to be undlmln- a certain unit a rest. It could not move.
Ished. Roeux was eventually surrounded,
I have not been able to secure any In
formation as to the fate of the battalion
which defended It,
Our front north of tho Scarpe has
been bent back from the outskirts of
Gavrelle, Altogether this Is not a
Continued on Btoond Pag.
BOCHES BEATEN
BACK IN DRIVE
AT VIMY RIDGE
Mowed Down in Large
Numbers as They Attack
in Close Formation.
RETAINED i
I
,
FEW GAINS
Guns of British Are Turned
Around to Repel Enemy
Who Gained Rear.
By PKItnY noBixso.w
ilitelal (able Detpnich to Tub Scn from the
l.'tnAon Time$.
Copyright, IMS: all riahte renried.
London, March 29 (delayed). There
was no material change In our position
during the last twenty-four hours.
South of tho Somme we have fallen
back again, but not under conditions to
cause any discouragement. Hlsewliere
In spite of Incessant thrusting by the
enemy and nt least one attempt to ad-
viiticM in strength we have beaten him
back.
The chief operation was on the ex
treme left battle front along the Kcarpe, ,
where fighting was in progress yester
day. We know now from prisoners that
the combined
attacks here on two sides
:ere a determined attempt
r,f tho river were a determined attempt i
to capture Arras. It completely failed. ;
Above the Scarpe the attack extended
far north to Wlllerval, and If successful
woulil have restored to th enemy I
possession of a great part of Vlmy j
'"wo still hold our positions east ofT0 INCREASE SHIPMENTS
Halileur, which point at. the south end of
the ridge subsides gently Into the plain.
ana aown tnis Mope our macnine B1 n
wrought terrible havoc among successive
lines of Germans attempting to advance
across the open from Oparlnrrelle. ' In
this open slope the Germans, attempting
to advance In the usual dense formation,
wer cat down trHfffleMmamimirftartv
Makes One Small Gain.
The only gain made by the enemy was
the ruins of Hoeux, not an Integral part
of our defences but In advance of them,
though we had outposts In the nilns
It as to the south of the river that
the most serious weight of the attack
was thrown. Here the Hermans cm
ployed at least two whole divisions and
parts of others the chief element of nt-
nltely n shock troops to break their way
'o Arras. They hail not come rar.
How little prnRres the enemy has
made here really Is shown by the fact
that his line wns alrwidy 2,50ft yards
from Neuvllle-Vltasso on the evening of
'arcn ..i. nix nays s.m-r men nr .
lost many dead for every yard of gain.
Immediately below here the day passed
In comparative quiet, the German effort
evidently being concentrated on the fu
tile attack on Arras further south.
Along the Ancre confused righting
continues. There vim a time when It
looked as If the Germans near Ayette
were going to obtain an appreciable ad
vantage. They had forced their way
to high ground, but were splendidly
driven off. Beyond here at the wood
known as the Nightingale or Hosslgnol
wood, the enemy at one time forced an
entrance, only to be driven out. The
wood remains in our hands. In all this
area along the Ancre and the railway
line around Albert our line remains
II rm.
Below the Somme wa have fallen
back again to position; at Marceleave,
Ilamel, Melzlens and Plesslers. The
numerical superiority of the Germans
hero continues great. Yesterday the
Germans crossed the river In the neigh
borhood of Chlppllly Cellsy. They placed
' themselves In tho rear of our troops
wnien were noiuing mo m)ri srcuon
of this une.
Not only were they In rear of our
Infantry here but also hau intercepted
, number or guns, anil ror a moment me
1 situation looked erlou. Our men
fa'ng the tear gallantly charged the
enemy, drove him back Into tho river
and held his much superior force
i penned there till all our guns got away.
For a short space our guns were tiring
almost directly to the rear at point j
blank range on the advancing Germans.
Great Work by Gunners,
Our gunners have been performing
miracles throughout. I heard a tale to
day of one battery of horse artillery
which, cut off by the advance In the
tlrst day of battle, was lost to Its unit
for three whole days. During that time
I It bad the most amazing experiences,
mostly In the rear of the German lines
1 and generally In action. Somehow after
three days It turned up fighting as hard
ns ever to help a quite foreign but hard
, pressed unit In whose company It found
tiseu, auu an u.i suna wero nun going
, strong,
1 It Is characteristic of the fighting of
1 the lufit week that one of the moat dash-
Another unit was appealed to and the
commanding officer said his men were
pretty nearly done, but might have a
two miles march yet in them. As the
other troops had none at all the men
with two miles left were sent In once
moio and went, as the commanding of
ficers said, "with tails above their
heads,'
BAKER APPROVES OFFER
OF U. S. TROOPS TO FOCH
Men in American Trenches Throw Up Hats and Dance
in Glee When They Hear They Are to Take Part
in Great Battle Along Somme.
By the Auociated Prut.
With the American Abmt in Franc,
March 30. "I am delighted at Gen. Per
shing's prompt and effective action In
placing all the American troops and
1 facilities ut th. dtnnOHal nf the Allies In I
, , i. .,,!.. ij -.-.--,, .
pre"Cnt altuntlon' eald Secretary of
War Daker In a statement given out at
headquarters to-day.
"It will meet with hearty approval In
... ..,,.,, .,,. ...i,.,. ,,. i. a
the United States, where the people dc-
sire their expeditionary forces to be of
the utmost service In the common cause,
"I have visited ull the American troops
lr. France, some of them recently, and ,
had an opportunity to observe the enthu
siasm with which officers and men re
ceived the announcement that they
would be used In the present conflict.
One regiment to which the announce
ment was made spontaneously broke Into
cheers."
Becretary Baker, for obvious reasons,
declined to discuss Just what pnrt the
American expeditionary forces may play
U. S. MEN TO AID
FOCH AT CRISIS1
Americans to Be Used at Open i
Fighting When Time Is i
Rlpo for Decision.
n, IT Tlfo,- TM
UUUIUl IMUa UUiU -U&UJ X'VVtUC
to Fiwiifrllwrttiii Ifimt.
Units in England.
Special De$patch to Tax Sex.
Washington. March 30. Following
the announcement that Gen. Pershing
had made all his fotces available for
Gen. Foch. the new supreme commander
on the western front, the time and man
ner of American participation in the
sreat battle was tht chief subject of con
sideration here. General staff officers
and military officers In Entente circles
here believe substantial American forces
probably will be a factor at the most
critical stage of tho fighting.
The progress of events, as Indicated
by the trend of official teports, leads to
the belief that the Americans will be
thrown in with the French and British
at a time when the German offensive Is
ripe for decisive counter attacks on a
s.'ale which for the present Is not pro
pitious, according to army opinion here.
"The situation Is getting better every
day." This announcement was made
officially to-night by Major-Gen. Peyton
"". March, acting Chief of StafT, after pe
rusing the latest advices from Gen.
Pershing. Gen. March added
"A supreme commander for all allied
armies Is an extremely valuable asset.
It Is one that the Germans have enjoyed
from the start."
The enthusiasm of the American
troops which Secretary BRkcr observed
when the news leached them that they
were to have an opportunity of petting
Into real nctlon le Interpreted here as
reflecting the potential aslstaneo which
Pershing's men will be to the Allien In
strengthening the force of the counter
blows In store for Field Marshal Von
Hlndenburg.
U. 9. Men Beit In Open Warfare.
Every ono here expects the American
troops to go Into the world battle with
the spirit and confidence that cannot be count Molltor and Louis Oautteron, for
downed. But at the eaine time It Is merly a Senator.
generally conceded that the value of
thW American force to Gen. Foch would
not bi so great In purely trench war
fare or In a campaign of defpnee. The
Americans, It Is explained, from 'Jen
Pershing down would be far more dan
gerous to the Germans In more or less
open warfare and It Is generally con
ceded that tho Americans, at least at
the beginning, would be better at the
attack than In defence.
As one general officer at the War De
partmcnt to-day explained, trench war
fare or defensive warfare aiming to
check advancing troops is more of a
mechanical science than the brand of
warfare which permits the personal
equation of the troops engaged to count,
"The Americans may not know that
game as well as others yet," this of
ficer remarked, but glvo our boys
chance out Jn the open and we will hear
from them,
Tho fighting now has begun to take
more and more of an open character as
a result of the. steady Oerman advance
toward Amiens. Tho fighting near
Montdldler has been marked, according
to tne latest reports, uy u nenes oi vu-
lagos captured and recaptured after
they had exchanged hands several times.
The momentum of the Oerman advance
In this area Is still so strong that It
ma,y'be a few days before fresh French
troops can reach there In sufficient num
ber to turn the tables.
To Speed Hp Shipments of Men.
Though Interest Is of course centred
on the Immediate operations of Amer
ican troops against the enemy there con
tinue to be systematic and pressing
steps taken to respond to Oen. Foch's
appeal for more troops by speeding up
troop shipments abroad.
Encouraging news was forthcoming
to-day respecting the availability of
ship" for the new efforts to Increase
troop shipments. It was pointed out
that tho acquisition nf almost noo.OOO
tons of Dutch shipping, the commun-
Conflmted an Second Page,
or are playtne.
This will become linown
In due time.
The news that the force was to parti
cipate, at all was met with cheers and
American zone to the other, even ut tlio
front.
The officers and men had about come
tQ th(( OOIclurton tnat they were t0 be
forced u sit back and watch the prog-
rcss of events, and they were glum. To.
oay they are smiling and demonstra-
lively congratulating each other. There
WRS much B,appln(t of eacn otner on tne
tck, while some of the troops threw up
their hate and danced when the news
reached them.
There Is still no newB from the fight
Ing engineers.
Secretary Baker, having conferred
with the allied commanding officers and
statesmen, desires to return to the
United States as soon as possible and
make available the Information he has
secured from his observations and con
ferences. He has completed the Inspec
tion of men and material, which he found
a very Inspiring task.
BIG GUN AGAIN
SHELLS PARIS
More Women and Children
ictims of Long Range
Bombardment.
MANY STILL IN
RUINS
Bodies of 59 Recovered From I
SUltMil Church Wrecked
by the Germans.
Paris, March JO. Paris again was
bombarded by the long distance German
cannon this morning. There have been
few casualties.
Eight dead, among whom are four
women, and thlrty-eeven wounded, In
cluding nine women and seven children,
were the casualties resulting from to
day's bombardment.
Rescue parties at work In the church
which wac struck yesterday by a
shell have found more bodies. It
ts now known that fifty-four women
were killed. The official statement last
night said se enty-flve persons were
killed and ninety wounded.
The shell struck the north side of thJ
church, bringing down part of the roof
and opening a breach twelve feet high
and twenty feet wide. Nearly all the
debris foil Inward upon the heads of
the worshlppere sixty feet below.
The edifice Is now a heartrending
sight. Tho enormous mass of stone,
crumbled Into all shapes and sizes, lies
In the middle of the nave and piled to
about the same height as the high altar,
which was not damaged. The side aisles
are. Uttered with less cumbersome wreck
age and the pavement Is covered with
gray dust. All the stained glas win
dows, some of which were of historical
Interest, are shattered The church, al
though begun in the Middle Ages, was
remodelled in the epoch of the Renals-
since Tho pcauty or its musical ser
j vices, which were "simp unaccompanied
ttracted many music lovers.
In addition to H Stroehlln, counsellor
of tho Swiss Legation In Paris, who was
killed, It U feared that his wife also is
n victim, although searchers have not
yet found her body In the debris. Among
the Injured are Countess Morand, Vis
U. S. DESTROYERS
SINK TWO U-BOATS
One of Victories Is Achieved
in Moonlight.
laONPON, March 30. Two encounters
In which American destroyers sank Ger
man submarines are described in a
series of accounts of successful sub
marine battles published to-day. The
accounts follow:
The first American destroyer sighted
the enemy submarine on the port bow
and proceeded at full speed In the d I -
I The Amercnn officers could sen the
rtlonnJB wake, which showed he was
i runn)ng underneath the surface from
s,arhoard to port. As the Oerman passed
t nner tnr tern of the American boat
thft latter dropped a depth charge. The
I wake, which had been plainly visible
0 th Btttrboard never appeared on the
nort side of the destroyer. Insted,
large quantities of oil came to the sur
face. "The second American destroyer, en
gaged In night convoy duty, sighted an
object a mile away, by tho light of the
moon. Full speed was ordered, but the
submarine dived while the American
was still a few hundred jards dltdant.
Two depth charges were dropped and
oil camo to the surface. This submarine
was apparently lying in wait for another
convoy, which was approaching from an
opposite direction."
MINE SINKS WARSHIP; 41 DEAD
British netrorr' Loss Is Made
Known Officially.
1."pon, March 30 A British dc
stin.ver stiuck a mine on Wednesday
nnd sank, it Is officially announced.
One officer and forty men were lost.
Tenth Day of Battle Marked
by Fierce Fighting at
'Three Points.
DRIVE OX ARRAS FAILS
Attack Aimed at Amiens,
However. Results in
Gain by Enemy.
FOE WEST OF THE AVRK
Efforts to Turn British
Flank There Arc Averted
by. Moving Up of French.
London, March 30. Sharp ftghtlns
was resumed on most of the noventy
mile front to-day, the tenth day of the
great battle In Franco. To the south of
Arra-t, !n the region between Bolry
and Boyelles, which ha been compara
tively quiet for tho last forty-eight
hours, the attacks were delivered
In conslderab'.o strength and with fresh
troops, Field Marshal Halg reports tu
nlght, but all wcr repulsed with heavy
losses to tho enemy, nnd the British
position remained Intact.
There was stiff lighting also in the
middle district, along tho Somme and
between It and the Avre, In which tho
Germans forced their way Into tho vil
lage of Demuln, but the British still
hold It western outskirts. Near
Albert, between Tlilepvnl nnd La
, Bolsellc, the Germans are reported to
I be digging themselves In feverishly.
Mezlerea, south of the Somme, was
taken by the Germans, who made pro
l greas also west of the Avro, below
Amiens.
The chief fighting or tne day was
near tho southern end of the battle
front, In the Montdldler region. A
terrific struggle between tho French
am) the German over a front of about
forty miles, extending from Morcull,
ten miles north of Montdldler, south
ward and then eastward beyond Laa
slgny, continued all day.
Six Vlllnires Are Taken.
Asiault after assault of t lie most
violent kind against the French po
sitions finally forced the poilus to re
tire further westward, enabling tho
Germans to take tho vl'.liiges of Aubvll
llcrs, Grivesnes, Cautlgny, Mesnll-St.
Georges, Munchel and Ayeiicuurt. Tho
first named ts five and a half miles
northwest of Montdldler, the last two
miles south; all the others uro in tliu
same vicinity. Heavy fighting is now
In progress ea.t of Ayencourt, al
though ruin Is falling.
Berlin reports the capture of Mc
zlere and lleaucourt and asserts tha'
freshly brought up British and French
troops between the Somme and tho Avre
have been driven from parts of their
foremost positions, which means the out
posts were forced to retire. Ayette also
was taken,
Tho situation In the south has become
of absorbing Interest. The Germans ap
parently are repeating the tactics of
their grand drive for t'alam when Field
Marshal French, then in command of
the British forces, turned them to the
north and kept pace with thun step b.v
step as they mad" repeated rf forts to
turn his left flank That operation
failed, hut the Gei -nans, v. hi. nit given
to repeating In their mint iry effort",
despite failure, tried again almoH
exactly the same operation when they
found an opening at Montdldler
Enemy Got There First.
It develops that In the retirement of
the British lines this Important position
nt tho Juncture of the British and French
lines was left unenvered, and that when
the iTench came rushtni; up lo aid 'their
allies they found the i '.-i-mans already
In ttie town Reside Its strategical 1m-
I portancn the terrain Is of such a na
ture that it Is easily dercuueii against
an attack from the east. 1 will be re
alletl that when the Germans -announced
the capture of Montdldler there wn? no
reference to an llghtlns Immediately
preceding their entry
Having obtained Montdldler so eaei.y
the Germans began a repetition of their
tactics In the Calais drive, but the
French Krueped the situation instuntlv
and repeated the mameuvro of Gen
Freivh. They threw heavy reenforce
ments across the German front, forcing
the Invaders to swing to the north, and
i ..,..,. - .,..,. PJ..,rar,,
nn - h .. k
1'etaln's men moved with them, oi Just r.
little more rapidly. Tho result was that
tho German drive, like that for Gala..",
was a failure.
To-day's operations show however,
that the Germans aro tr.vlng it again
and in the sumo way The new cxtei'
nion ef the Montdldler salient which
they accomplished by the rapture of K
villages In that roglnn I' almost an
exact duplicate of their line "h'-n tin
point of the salient was at Montdldlei
only It Is now- a few miles further west
That the French kept paim with them
.vm they moved westward goes without
saying, and If their objective Is Parle
they are now moving further and fm
ther away from the Jlrect road to the
French capital, down the valley of th
OI, JuM as In the Calais drive thev
wero forced to move further ami fu'
ther away from tha direct road t
falsi". The advance of tun Gcrmnt.
to-day was about threo miles.
Object of Arras Drive,
The explanation for the movement on
Arras, necnrditiK to French critics, it
that the Germans felt thnt the shape of
tie ".illent driven Into the British lln
expired tliem In flank counter attacks
and they extend d their nffeinilvB toward
Arras. However, although the enemy
h