The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1916-10-02
THE FALL OF coMBLEs.

Declaring this years harvest has made
Germany more secure than she was. LAST
year, Chancellor Won Bethmann- Hollwep
III an ifnpassloned address before the Reich
stag, last week, declared again his utmost
IaIln III the ultimate victory Of his country.
we admire the pluck that never saws die
we VINO know what it is to support falling
cause can especially appreciate the sublime
craftsmanship of the chancellor when he
says, alluding to the capture of combles.
Our nrst hines have been pushed back
some kilometers; still another trench and
another village may be lost but they will
not get through
But # Germany is indulging in the very
iaudable exercise of whistling to keep I'D
It's courage, how deep must be the
national sorrow that its whistlers don't
synchronize better
1t is impossible, says the Crown Prince
IN a Berlin newspaper, according to. an. AS
soeiated Press dispatch from there. re-
terrlng to the loss of the same Copbles. ct
IS impossible to predict how things will go
hereafter but one thing is certain namely,
that we have everything SO thoroughly
prepared that we are able to contemplate
the situation with equaninaity, whatever
comes
The statement of the Crown Prince. and
soldier besides, that it IS impossible to
forecast the future, reduces the chancellor's
bright assurance to hollow noekery
The truth of the matter is that the fall
OF Combles and eight other strong points
within two days, is not only the greatest
! achievement of the allies on the Somme; it
has demonstrated, as never before, their
absolute invincibleness once they decide to
advance. German officers captured during
| the recent drive are described by reputable
correspondents as being absolutely dazed
| by the turn of events-unable to under
stand how the Allies had been able to cap
ture such remarkable Notifications as
Combles, that terrible, menacing under
i ground fortress" in which the defenders
were safe from the greatest. shells and from
which they popped, after. the cessation of
/ the artillery preparation, to man the
machine gune which had held at bay the
| charging infantry for two months
In the meantime Gern 4 strategy, which
consists of vigorous offensive in different
theatre to relieve the pressure at any. one
threatened point, has on. the Roumanian
front dwind1ed to the regular trench war
fare, which with its daily toll of wastage,
acconplishes nothing. After the usual swift
blow, which resulted in the capture of an
important fortress, the drive lost nlomen-
turn, without having made the allies
weaken their attack on the Sonme.
It would be mistake, however, to think
that the capture of Combes, spectacular
as it was, even if it should be followed by
the immediate fall of Perrone, indicates q
speedy end of the war. The Crown Prince
to whose discussion allusion has already
been made, is perfectly right in saying thai
the offensive must last the winter through
The war may even last a year longer
though there is still reason to hope thai
peace will be declared by August.
Impartial military experts have long
known that Germany can't win. German,
has actually been on the defensive ever
since the battle of the Marine, which
proved the utter impossibilIty of reaching
the prize that would have meant victory
Paris; and, to go back no further, has iss
more heavily than the Allies, ever since
Verdun was invested without the Allies
7 millions of reserves
: The Crown Prince has discussed the sit
uation accurately and candidly; to claim
victory after every reverse must get tire
some in time; and the most he can say |
: that every preoaution has been taken an
. that the fight will be waged with undinln
S ished heroism, to the very last ditch. n