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Show BRITISH PLANS NOT DISARRANGED i German Retreat and Strategical Strategi-cal Schemes Had No Effect on Allies' Calculations. LONDON, April 12 "We have heard a great deal about the Von Hindenburg retreat," said General Maurice, 'lit has been claimed the retirement was according to plan and that as a result the British calculations had been upset up-set and the Germans were in a position posi-tion to givo battle whenever they desired. de-sired. "Let me tell you how much the British Brit-ish plans were upset. On February 20 I was in France and at that time sawi on paper tho plans for tho very offensive of-fensive which the British are now carrying car-rying out, Including tho assault on VI my ridge. Arrangements had been made at that time to begin tho attack at-tack on April 8, but this was postponed post-poned until the 9th on account of the weather. This shows that we are conducting con-ducting our affairs according to schedule. sched-ule. Things are going well and the prospects look brlgm. Capture 10,000 Prisoners. "That the Germans had not only not weakened their line in this section, sec-tion, but had strengthened, it is apparent. ap-parent. I call your attention to the fact that we took 10,000 prisoners in the first twenty-four hours, which is the greatest number wo have taken in a corresponding time and is indicative indi-cative of the strength of the Germans here." General Maurice's attention- was called to the fact that the Gciman military experts were claiming the battle bat-tle of Arras to be the decisive conflict of the war. "1 suppose the experts have got to havo something to write about," said the general with a laugh, "but it is impossible to say at this time, how-over, how-over, that the battle of Arras -will have a far-reaching effect." |