The Washington times., 1915-04-25
BRINGING THE WAR CLOSE

There are rather more than 10000
Canadian troops in Europe; or
is a difference not to be
overlooked, now-that number have
been sent there. Hundreds of these
men are related to or acquainted
with people in the United States.
Their achievements cannot but bring
a thrill of pride to Americans, proud
to read that troops from this CONT
nent, neighbors of our own, saved
the day in the terrific fighting just
reported to the north of Ypres.
The Canadians occupied a position
in which their right flank was sup
ported by the French line. The
Germans massed tremendous force
of artillery with the purpose of turn
ing loose a sudden attack with
shrapnel, and following it with in
fantry rushes. 1t was the game in
which the British achieved a splen-
did success only few days ago, and
apparently is the game that must be
played wherever either side can hope
to gain a significant advance along
the lines of the parallel trenches.
The Germans made it succeed, ex-
actly as the British had previously
done; they turned a section of their
enemy's line into perfect hell and
then charged into it.
This attack was concentrated
chiefly against that section of the
French line which connected with
the Canadian line; and when the
French were forced to fall back the
Canadians had to follow suit, lest the
line be broken and the Canadians
enfiladed. But, having fallen back
in such haste that they had to aban-
don some guns, the Canadians pres
emily reformed and led a charge
which recovered them and so much
of the lost ground that the lines
were again brought into touch and
continuity and the day saved. The
chief credit of the performance was
given to the Canadians.
1t is good to see the North Ameri-
cans proving themselves so heroic
ally; but nobody doubted they would
do it when their time came. In the
satisfaction of their performance, il
will not do to lose sight of the fact
that this kind of warfare along a
250-mile front means nothing less
than mutual destruction of both
men and resources. Neither side car
keep it up forever, or even for very
long. Where can be found the solu
tion to the strategic puzzle that botf
sides are right now confronting
Every week of the developing spring
operations re-enforces the opinion
that the perfection of wars meth
DDS, the fearful destructiveness O
its instruments, has now reached tn
point where with sides pretty evenl,
matched and accoutred, it is sub
stantially impossible for either t.
make great permanent gains, ant
where nothing can happen but tn
gradual decimation of both in futil
attacks and counter attacks.
Can it go on until both sides, o.
this western front where two nation
are besiegirg each other, shall liter
ally have worn themselves out
. Must it go on to that end?
, The best promise to an answe
/ seems to lie in the developing activj
ties of the naval forces. There wa
: a suggestive observation in Fredel
4 ick Palmer's most recent articl
= from the war front, printed in Co
= lier's Weekly. Mr.. Palmer, in hi
3 very last sentence, after telling {
= the probability that Britain woul
: shortly have two million men in tn
t war, added in effect that it was quit
i possible that by no means all {
y them would go to France.
S Mr.. Palmer is guessing, as TT
It Times has ventured heretofore
e guess, that the big final strategy
: the war, the determining move, ma
= be the projection of a flank NOV
r, ment by the British and FrenC
y against the German empire; Il
IS opening of a way to land a gre
= army on German soil under cover
IS the allied feet, somewhere in Il
y region of the Elbe and tie Kiel CAM
y and from this base conduct a hui