OCR Text |
Show H THE FIGHTING AROUND H LENS AND LILLE. M While the French attack on the H southern lines of the German front Hl in France is on a mighty scale, the H effect of the drive does not promise H ' as much for the allies as the British H forward movement north of Arras, M , which has for its object the controll- M, ing of the coal mines near Lens and Hl the bringing under the guns of Gen- Hl eral Haig the Industrial center of H Lille. H i When Lens is captured and the coal m fields o northern France are retaken, B Gorman troop trains on the west H front will have to be supplied with H , fuel from a long distance, while Hj France once more will be less depend- H ent on England for coal. H ' A victory which will restore to H France the department in which Lena H is situated will do more to strengthen H the allies and weaken the Germans Hj than the loss of 200,000 men by the Hj Kaiser. |