New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-08
British Observer Says Sit
uatiOn Is Best Since
War Began.
ENEMY NOW FORCED
TO ACT ON DEFENSIVE
Psychological Effect on German
Soldiers Expected by
Eyewitness.

opened unon 4 more favorable situation
for the Allies than any they have known
since the commencement OF the cam
psign," says a report made by a mill
tary observer attached TO the British
army Headquarters az the front. The
report. made public to-day by the Of
fetal Information Bureau. is dated
January I. and supplements similar
narratives given out at intervals dur
ing the progress of the war.
$50 TAR as the British are con-
cerned." says the report. the small
Npeditionary force Of four divisions
which took the field in August has
now been swclled into great army
which is steadily increasing in num-
bers, has become Injured to war and can
look hack on a record Of hard fighting
such as British troops seldom have sus-
tanned in the past. The struggle Of the
last four months has entered upon its
fourth phase \ slow put none the less
marked change which has taken place
has resulted in the definite passing Of
the initiative into the hands of he Al
lies. This is not shown so much by
material results obtained, although n
some points of the allied front ground
has been gained and in some places
very marked progress has been made.
resulting in the capture Of guns and
strongly intrcnched positions. but orr
now the Allies who for the past few
weeks have assumed and main aimed
the offensive role. while the enemy has
bepr acting on the defensive. The fact
that the enemy is acting on the defen-
sive does not mean that he has gwen
up attacking altogether but his attacks
have been in the nature OF counter At
tacks. undertaken either in order to re-
gain ground previously lost or TO re-
lieve pressure on some other part o.
the German line.
at is only by balancing the total re-
suits of these attacks by both sides
tina. a clear idea can be obtained
Really marked progress has been
achieved by the Allies.
THE German defensive Is an active
one. II is founded on the axiom Of war
that the weaker the force is and the
more hardly IL is pressed the more
persistently should il attack. But il
remains true that such action is none
the less essentially defensive. even
though here and there one of their
counter attacks may succeed in regain
ing possession Of "A trench or in driving
back a small section of our front.
eff we retain the initiative il will
mean that the German soldier gradu-
ally will become increasingly conscious
that he is no longer marching on
Calais or Paris; that instead Of press
ing forward his role is merely TO main
tain what already has been won. and
that even this limited object has not
been attained Hitherto he has con-
tinually been told that reinforcements
are about to arrive. and that an adj
vance in force is imminent, while re-
ports of startling victories on land and
sea are disseminated broadcast But
such fabrcations can no longer carry
conviction when the troops realize that
instead of attacking they are stationary
or even retiring, and the morale of the
enemy must inevitably be affected.
"The more thoroughly they are now
deceived as TO the true position the
greater will be the establishment if
they realize that ultimate victory is
unattainable; while upon such an army
as that of the Germans, which has been
taught to exalt the cult of the offensive
almost into a fetch. the mere con-
seriousness of being reduced to acting
on the defensive must have most dis
couraginG effect
After referring to the ultimate con
sequences of repeated small successes
the British observer adds:
at must not. however. be thought
that this is other than very slow and
laboriOus progress. or that the final re-
suit is within immediate reach. YeJ
every capture by the Allies Of trench
represents lost ground, for which the
enemy expended much blood and treas
ure. and is a step forward in the proc
ess Of attrition which eventually will
bring the war TO an end
The British observer says he is able
to confirm reports that there is consid
cradle sickness in the German ranks. /
He says that for some time there has
been a good deal of typhoid, and some
German units have been withdrawn
temporarily on this account.