Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-04-27
SECOND YPRES FIGHT
LOCAL ENGAGEMENT
German Advance Lacks Significance
Seen in November Battle - Too
Soon to Talk of New Drive to
Channel"
By FRANK II. s1MoNps

DESPITE the reports which have so far
- been published describing the contest
now proceeding about Ypres II is by no
means clear that the present struggle Is
comparable with the great battle of Novem-
Der fought on the same fields. In the earlier
struggle some 10000 British troops hastily
detrained and sent into the gap between the
extreme left of the French and the sea, were
suddenly assailed by something like half
million Germans, including the famous Prus-
sian Guard,
No opportunity came to the British to
erect permanent or semi permanent defenses;
they fought in hastily constructed field
trenches Much of the fighting was bayonet
work, and nothing in the whole progress Of
tho war in the western field can be COM
pared for casualties with the first battle Of
Ypres. The British lines endured the storm.
Presently. reinforced by French army corps,
they yielded little, but hung on to Ypres.
The purpose of German strategy in Mo-
vember was plain. Calais and the other
Channel ports were the immediate objec-
tive; the destruction of the British army
and a second advance to Paris n possible
outcome. The whole allied left flank in
France and Belgium was in deadly peril.
Not even Waterloo was n more closely run
race than the battle of Ypres.
New Factors Presented
But second fight on the same ground
opens wholly new horizons. First of all,
British strength in France has arisen from
10000 to 100000 Not all of the 100000
probably not more than half--are on the
firing line; but this is treble the number
that held Ypres in November. In artillery
the improvement has been enormous. To
the westward about Nieuport where $4,000
Belgians the remnant OF the defenders Of
Antwerp, repulsed the Germans, there are
now 100000, six divisions rcorganized, sup
ported by artillery.
Beyond these advantages lies that Incl
dent to the fertilization of allied lines. For
months this work has gone on, trench by
trench, one line upon another; the British,
Belgians and French have dug themselves
into a position, held once under terrible
pressure when it was hardly fortified at ALL
Under the circumstances it is difficult to
believe that the Kasers commanders are
undertaking to resume the earlier and more
ambitious strategy which aimed at Calais,
DunlSirk and Boulogne. All told, with avail
able reserves the British, Belgian and
French forces must number close to a mil
lion on this narrow front, and a German
concentration Of equal numbers is not now
conceivable.
On the other hand, it is plain that the
Germans have won about Ypres to the west
of the town, local triumph wholly COM
parable with that of the British at Neuve
Chapelle. They have won it. too, in much
the same way. First there has been the
concentration of artillery-the great bonn
bardment supplemented here by the use Of
gas-filled projecties. Then has come the
great rush, as at Neuve Chapelle. Finally
the German advance has been checked the
Germans have consolidated the ground taken
and the Allies have resorted to counter
attacks, which have been more or less sue
cessful. as German or allied statements are
accepted.
"Nibbling" Tactics Borrowed