Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-08-20

Il ~
portance. will be strateg!cally de-
fensiye in intention.
1t will be impossible to conceal
much longer from the German people
the fact that the army is TO longer
able to win smashing victories and
territory. bu- must devote all its ener-
Gies to protecting whN has been CON
quered.
Sull Skcptical.
As the knowledge that a decisive
success is beyond them will dispirit
the central populations, the allied
peoples will be greatly hcortcncd as
soon as they realize their enemies are
Unable to strike any more Of the ter
rible blows which nave fallen on all
the members of the entente except
England. At present they are skopti-
cal of this, for they have been fooled
before
Having said so much. it must he
most er?phatically pointed out that
the permanent loss Of the strategic
initiative does not necessarily imply
the loss of the war for Germany. 1t
implies merely that her role from now
ON will he to hold out, % exhaust the
enemy until he is willing TO conclude
drawn peace. Whether this can
be dCne is at present a matter of
opinion. and no amount cf patriotic
defamation can make it anything
else. II is true that the central pow
erS are getting we.ker. both absolute
ly and relatively and that Britain is
Just approaching the climax of her
power. But those who draw from
this the Inference that allied victory
is certain forget the enormous ad-
vantage possessed. in the modern war
of artillery and entertainments. by the
defending side For example, il il
develops in the next year that the
Germans, fighting continuously on the
defensive in prepared positions, can
kill four allies for every death they
suffer themselves the war must end
a draw and Germany is unconqu ar-
able. The ratio of casualties between
the attackers and the defenders in
modern battle depends on shells The
asSai ant must have more shells than
his opponeW to accomplish anything.
There is nd doubt that the allies have
more shells than their enemies, and
Will hcNt spring have many more
perhaps two and a half times az
many. viii that be enough? Nobody
knows. no man can know. ana yet on
the answer depends the result OF the
war
May Win II Back
To what has been said the follow
ing objection may he offered: "lt is
true that the stratcgiCal initiative was
held by the Germans until some time
this summer. and that the allies have
now secured it, but how can il he
said with certainty that the acquSi-
icu is. permanent, that the Germans
not launch another attack some
whore and win it back again."
This Is most important point, for
if the strategical initiative, having
been won from the central powers, is
liable 10 be lost again. there is no
justification in saying that because
the allies have it now the course Of
the w%r has permanently altered and
there viii be no further German on
,laughts like those whose object in
The past has been dcCislNely TO defeat
the enemy.
There is however, probably no
serious military critic in Europe who
" Ould dispute the statement that the
once lost by Germany can
never be regained i'm this war. There
are several reasons for this. The
most important is that Germany and
her principal ally, Austria-Hungary
have used up their central reserves of
men which must he drawn upon to
make great attacks. They are now
to use such reserves as re-
main to them to thwart the efforts
Of the British, French and Russians
to crush their lines and defeat their
armies. an effort none the less
because it will not approach
4 climax for many months.
Will FAN Back?
one plausible argument only have
Nf~sar arsKr fs. D.
BY an officer, who believes that the
Germans will execute a great retreat
both east and west ia order to shorten
by one half the lines they are COM
PEELED to hold and will then, with
he mass of men set free by this
resume their old tactics
and strike violently upon some one
front by this means, the officer
holds, there is a chance. although "A
very small one. that the strategical
initiative might be temporarily re-
gained That such an attack will he
made, even if retreat can be car
ried out. seems a fantastic theory to
most students of the war since II
would be the worst possible tactics
unless there was Il prospect of the
attack succeeding. "One fact alone
Is enough to knock that ON the head"
said staff officer. THE Germans
rannCt carry out a retreat to their
own borders without losing half their
field armies--we viii take care of
that and having lost half their men,
how will they be in a better position
10 strike again for decision than
hey are now, even though their lines
.rc half as long?"
Doubtful Neutral"
one most important point remains |
o which particular attention must be /
allied. II has been said, and said |
correctly, since the beginning OF the /
var that time fights on the side Of |
he allies although Lloyd d-George, |
Inxiouus to persuade England to wake !
~. once called time doubtful |
lcutral" Time was with the allies !
md against the Germans, because the |
Germans we're fighting for Il decision.
With better armies and more guns. but !
ess potential resources, both in man /
mi munition power. The Germans, !
l ying TO win the war, sought 20 de- !
troy their enemies before this pO-
ortial power could be made effective /
But will the LOGS of the stratesical |
the German hope 10 Min the !
var ended. Their race against time /
IL. L