New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-15
BRITISH FAILURE
Little Reason to Believe That tn,
Allies Are Resentful.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: | have been reading your editorial
on war subjects with a great deal Of ntere'
and profit for several months past, and as
to be permitted to say that so far as ! hay,
observed nothing approaching them in yalB.
is appearing in any other American publiet
ton. At the moment / have before me you'
article headed British Failure and Allied
Nerves" / am quite prepared 10 admit thai
there have been a number Of British biunder
and failures, but ] hope you viii permit me
TO suggest that evidence that these blunder
and failures are getting on the nerves OF our
Allies is as yet not very strong. IL would
of course be fine thing for the Germans il
mutual recrimination and dissenslon could
be bred between the Allies, but believe the
understanding between them is so strong as
TO make this impossible.
II the British have had blunders and fall
ures. so have the Germans. aud so also have
the French and Russians. But have not heard
of any Britisher who thinks any the less o.
the French or Of the Russians because o.
those failures. Indeed, it is "A truism thai
respect and admiration for the military
ability OF both these nations have increased
tremendously in all British countries since
war began. You mention the British rever'
in the second battle of Yprcs. suppo"
here you are referring to the advance mac
BY the Germans at Langemarcg IN Apr
This is one incident where perhaps Cans
dams are more familiar with the facts thar
any one, because they were so v.tally COT
cerned Il is established that the break was
made not in the British or Canadian line
at all ,.t in the French lines held by Colo
Il. u 81 d. no, 70
ton. But you will find in British commun'
ties no criticism of the French army Oh &C.
count of THAI incident, where poison gas va
used Tor the first time and where as resuN
one or two African units were thrown 10"
something resembling panic.
With reference TO the stopping OF the o.
fensive about Loos, our disappointment
seems to have arisen largely from the ms
understanding in connection with ;he hoidIne
Of Hill No. 20. Apparently this position va
never taken by the British, although mels
may even yet be some doubt as 20 this POM
IN some Of the other incidents you mehtoH'
such as at Gallpoli and Neuye ChapeNf'
there were undoubtedly British blunders' snD
there has also been failure ia diplomacy ~
the Balkans, although ] am doubtiul
this particular field of diplomacy Britain 10
ever presumed 10 a leadership. But e'.ue"',
reaches US that, far from the French 81.
Russians getting offended at Britain oecSu'.
Of her blunders and failures. they are on -, 20,
contrary amazed that Britain has been aO''
to accomplish what she has in a mlii'Sp
way. IT, for example, before the war 90
one had told a Frenchman that before 81,
teen months were completed Britain "Ou'.
have a million men on the French battle i'a'
the Frenchman would have been skeptiesI .
matter Of fact, Britishers are not YET %.
ticularly proud of anything they have accom-,
plshed on land in this war. They VIII oHp
have cause for pride when results oeglh
appear, and they are not yet out OF the p.s
paratory stage These preparations nav.
been and are still going forward on sea.
that has amazed not only ourselves, ou' 90.
our Allies in France and Russia. A..
Just one other point. Regarding ."'
higher commands in the British army %
70 be remembered that with a standing ai~.
Of little more than 100000 men the o~'t =,
OF high rank were much fever tAaa ]"
large armies of the Continent Most Of ''
had, however, seen considerable active
vice and had proved their worth. ms y,
point is TO be remembered in contrasting
few changes in the British commands as 'V
pared TO the changes Of the other armies
both sides. But the most important CONF, -,
Grafton in this connection undoubtedly -
fact that the men qualified for high ran,
The British army were and are so few 10 20.
ber. They are. however, increasing ahC
s evident from the Sari-Bahr incident NV
Is now no hesitation in removing men -
nlrily when they make mistakes Inc
gcstion, however. in the cables that ~
should be placed in command Of the bri.',.
troops in France seems curious, because sI 0'.
the beginning he has been superior 70 o sos
French and has. therefore. had these uVS'
under his control. JOHN Il. BoNh,
Managing Editor, Toronto Daily Star
Toronto, Ont, Dec. II, 1915.