Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-03-22

The attack on verdun began four weeks
ago. The conditions at the fortress Elve the
defenders an enormous advantage, and after
the first surprise the French proved equal
to their task. That is the lesson of Douau-
nanys task, both at the fortress and in her
relations with neutrals, harder.
TT IS month and day now since
i the actual battle for the possession of
Verdun began Those who followed the
extraordinary series Of attacks which pre-
ceded the battle will recall that on Feb
| ruary 2, when the rush on Douaumont
began, the offensive against the British
on the User was still the dominating piece
of news. For two weeks before that time
the German armies had executed attacks in
every sector from Ostend to Alsace, and their
meaning was not cleared until the battle at
Verdun began. Shortly after Douaumont was
| seized, and while the battle at NauX was still
! raging, new attack made in the Cham.
! payne region and there was some idea that
the operations at Verdun might be themselves
only cloak for greater operations in the
entrenched regions to the north. That view
seems no longer tenable.
To understand the fighting at verdun II Is
necessary to remember that the fortress juts
eastward from the line of the French front
and is perpetual threat to the communica
tion of the German forces. That is why
there was sufficient reason for attacking at
that point. Further, it is important to know
that Verdun is itself centre surrounded at
a distance Of from four to five miles, by
armored forts set on dominating hils-Douau-
mont, NauX, and others. Every hill mentioned
in recent dispatches, the Dead Man. Goose,
Crow, etc, has its strategic Importance, for,
while the armored fort has proved unavailing
against artillery attacks, the hill itself re-
mains key position from which artillery may
pour down destruction upon attacking forces
in the plain.
The actual fighting, under these conditions,
demanded almost superhuman courage from
those making the attack, and resistance COM
parably fierce on the part of the defenders. In
the first stage of the battle the former won.
Douaumont was taken after five days of
merciless attack. Immediately it was threat.
ened by the French and it was only on March
5, a week or so later, that the dsmanted
fort was confidently German.
In the second stage the French line had
stiffened remarkably Joffre had himself come
to Verdun, and Petain had displaced Humbert
in command. There could be no surprise and
the battle for NauX heartbrealling dis.
aster for the troops of the Crown Prince.
That battle began March 1011 and still con.
tinues Subsidiary to it are the lesser attacks
on both sides of the Meuse, to the north of
Verdun and over the large front which pro-
tects the central fort. Reports in the last
five days indicate a falling off in the intensity
of artillery fire of the Germans, and since
their most vigorous troops were used first |
at Douaumont and then at Vaux, and were
torn by the dreadful fire of the French, 1t Is
not remarkable that the snap of the first |
attack has gone The fury of yesterdays
ofN
desperation, following disastrous failure of
frontal attacks.
The summary of a months activity on a |
front which is very limited in comparison with
tho wide stretches of both Russia and the line |
from Flanders down can hardly be encourag. |
ing to Germany. Taken with series of other |
reverses to Germany and her allies, political |
and military the measure of success and failure |
at Verdun may we'll seem prophetic of black |
end In actual ground gained this German at.
tack has been more successful than the out
break in Champagne of last September. In |
effect it is still as vain. Even IL the line be |
made straight at Verdun and the Meuse be |
permanently crossed, there will remain the |
same spectre of the trench to haunt the
dreams of the High Command. And the cost
has been staggering, even to those accus.
toned TO the awful figures of this war.
1t is not to be expected that the present Iun |
in the fighting is an indication that Verdun
has been given up by those to whom the for
tunes Of the heir to Germanys throne are
dear. Probabilities point to a desperate final
blow, which will come from every point at
which the present attacks have established
centres of operation. But the same probabl
ties favor a resistance more than adequate to
the attack, for in this enterprise, as in every
one of the war; Germany fights against time
while her enemies fight with time.
Time is also on the side of the Allies In their
efforts TO enlist the few remaining neutrals OF
southern Europe. If after four weeks of fight
Ing which has strained every Teutonic fibre
nothing definite and far-reaching has been
accomplished is IT likely that Rumania will be
plant or Greece more than neutral? VIII
either of these countries yield to the imperial
will OF Potsdam when they know that Ger.
many's effective strength has reached it's max
mum while recruiting still continues in Eng
and? Nor has it escaped their attention, as 1t
seems to have escaped the notice of certain
agitators at home, that American rifles have
not yet begun to reach the battle front in any
and that the first great shipment of
American arms will start with the spring. 1t
IS even possible that the fear of the new
Allied effectves and the dread OF unlimited
had something to do with the timing
Of the ill-fated attack on Verdun.