IN GERMANY.

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 3277, 27 June 1917, Page 4

IN GERMANY.

BLIND FAITH IN HINDENBURG

GERMANS TRY TO EXPLAIN

AAV AY DEFEATS

"DENTED, NOT BROKEN."

Amsterdam, April 11. "They have not broken through" is the remark with which tho German newspapers try to explain away, the English victory at Vimy Ridge. The Cologne Volkszeitung admits that Sir Douglas Haig has achieved "some success," but declares that the British troops have not accomplished anything like the great German drive on the Russian front. "Of course," it declares, "they will hope in future developments especially for the disruption of our lines, as a consequence of their continual hammering. There is to be another Somme battle—a better one, if everything goes as the English desire. Whether this will bo tho case remains to be seen. So many things have changed since last summer." The Frankfurter Zeitung also notes with relief that this time the Allies have not broken through. Nor will they ever break through -. that is quite sure. The English attack was surely foreseen by Hindenburg. If he and Ludendorff did not withdraw the front at that point, as they did further south, they must have had their good reasons. The battle of Arras was foreseen. We did not try to escape it. This shows we did not (fear it." The Cologne Gazette, obeying the General Staff orders, also rejoices that the English failed to break through, and gives the following explanation of the English success: "Owing to the stubbornness with which orrr troops oppose .the enemy," it says, "it was not always possible te end the fighting in good time, especially as communication with the Supreme Command, which sees the operation as a, whole, had been upset by the enemy fire. We must also be prepared for losses in material, but wo hear that the guns we left behind were destroyed in time. The English do not mention their own losses. They are surely important. Besides, their aim is not reached. Our front has been dented, but not broken. Hindenburg surely has taken adequate stens for the attack when it is renewed."