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Timaru Herald, Volume CVII, Issue 16525, 22 April 1918, Page 6

News from tiro Western Front is still wholly good. Thcro has been a lull in German attacks, forced by tho enemy's pronounced defeat, with unusually heavy losses, in his onslaught at Givenbhy, whero tho British liave now won back tho few advanced poS.'nts which had boon lost by them, consolidating their whole line. On the Arras and Ancro fronts the British' havo gained local advantages, and a French advance, on a front of tlireo miles south of ft tho Somme, is ktill more inspiriting. The German lino was pushed back, with .surprising easo and quickness, for a mile, improving; our allies' positions on tho Avro andP on the roads between Amiens and tho Somme, and enabling them to dominate tho Avro crossings as fair north' as Moreuil. On tho northern front tho British guns, according to a correspondent, aro now more active than tho Germans', and thcro is ovidenco of acute difficulties on tiho enemy's pnrb in getting his supplies up over tho shattered ground.

An 'early, unofficial message reports that the French were heavily cannonading on a fifty-six m'iles front on tho Sommo and Oiso, hnt of General Ftochfs counter-offensive, unless this bo ono, there is no mgn. American papers hnvo reproached tho "high authority," whom they identify wftli General Maurico, for appearing to suggest a doubt of General Foch's activity, while wo a,ro "standing a hammering," and comparing lv'm to Blueher. Tho comparison with Waterloo was natural enough. Tho French General might not bo pleasod to bo called Bluchor, but in the main expression might bo hold to express confidence. Blueher did arrive, in time. Meanwhile wo have no onuso to find fault with tho French Generalissimo. Frond) forces were. Ilnnsc quickly forward to fill tho gap made when tho British fell hack from St.Quentin, and to hold a front extended, by thai, retirement, for some twentylive m'iles. French troops are fighting now in FJandors, though at Vordnn, for four months, our French allies took their hammering whilo tho British waited for their own offensive.

Jf General Foch has plans now for a counter-offensive lio will mnko it at tlio proper t'imo, and ho certainly -.nil not tell the world beforehand when and where it is to bo made. it is certain that tho Germans have used up far moro divisions, for results fur less than they expected, both on vho Sommo and in tho northern lighting, That is a most promising aspeet of tho situation. Tho sending of French reserves to tho British front may mean that British roservos, on tho French sido of tho Channel at all events, were less numerous than they should have boon, or General Foch, with ample reserves of both nations, may have chosen to send Frenchmen, for the sake- of convoying exactly that impression to tho Germans. 7t may liavo suited liilm for them to think that tho British army was all bufc exhausted—tho mistake they mado nt tho Marne. General Bridges, who was recently head of tho British Military Mission with tho Belgian armies, is reported to have told Americans, in effect, not to look for an Allied offensive until moro Americans are in! tho field. If the Germans are halted, ho states, they will entrench preparatory to another offensive. That no doubt will bo their object, but it is certain that every effort will bo mndo to prevent their digging in. We can, also assume that, whatever is th&

AN- 6 ?' policy, small light would be thrown on it before the time by Allied commanders. Largo Italian forces, now arriving in the West, may be meant for an offensive, or to "balance German eastern divisions that are still arriving.

We commend to our readers' attention the very thoughtful letter oil education requirements which is contributed to our columns by Mr Geoi-go Benstead, former director of the Otekaike School for Mental Defectives, and now of Timaru, in view of the annual meetings of householders in connection with school committees to be held this evening. The pleau mado by Mr Benstead in regard to the increased importance which the war has given to education, the aize of classes—with which the size and structure of class rooms is associated—and the necessity of giving more inducement to the best men to become school teaohers, have been urged by us repeatedly. They cannot be too often emphasised, however, and tho resolutions of householders' meetings may do

much to impress them on the Government. Mr Benstead opens up a new /question when he deals with mental retardation in school children, but it

is one on which he speaks specially as an expert. The householders' meetSings should be well attended, nothing, except - the war, being now more important than education. One stands for instant, the other for continued, preservation.