The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-19

JON RI. commander Of her armies.
Rruor. who had q genius for finance
and was trusted us nj other man by
the professional aud merchant classes
and by everybody In fact who prac-
tised thrift, was to ind the money
to conduct the war: and JorrRE, the
strategist. would manPuvre the ar.
mics If France to victory. In the
Chamber Of Deputies on Friday ALEX
ANDRE RIBor, speaking OF the finSn.
cial and military situation. and hav-
Ing Nerlun In mind. we may assume,
made this impressive statement:
I'VE have cached the decisive hour.
We can say without exaggeration.
wi,hou, Illusion. and without vain OPP
timlsm that We now zee tho end Of
this horrible war
1t is impressive because NJ. Rrpr
Is Ia n position IN compare the avail.
able resources OF the Allies with
those If the Teutonic Powers and IL
kept Informed about the military sit.
uution Ia the very last detail. More.
over. he l. the wisest and safest
statesman in France. her Grand Old
Mau. There can b. no doubt that
the vcterap Ministers prediction re-
fleets the provision and confidence Of
his associate Ut the front. JOSEPH
.IofrRt. whose strategy must supple
ment ALEXANDRA RiRC1's SUCCESS in
finding the sinews Of war. A greut
Offensive by the Allies may soon be
the answer To veriun.
Since Sir pouuIAs HAIG's appoint.
ment (" succeed Field Marshal
FREN,H IN command Of the army IN
France there has been no British
movement "f any Importance on the
western front. There has been what
General JoifRt once called ''nibhling,"
that j. t." say. daily artillery duels.
>urpins aud mine explosions. with
the USE Of infantry tn take sections
of trenches, operations In which the
casualties vary from II few hundreds
Ia II thousand or more n day. But
there has been no attempt to break
through any where.
Meanwhile. during all these months
the transportation " troops and sup
plies between England and France
has gone on methodically and with
ont the loss of Il single troopship.
Occasionally something Is said IN the
House Of Commons about the army In
France, rs last Tuesday. when Mr..
TENANT. assistant 10 the Secretary
for War, read Il despatch from Sir
Dor"GAs HAiG. which reported the
unfailinc regularity and adequacy Of
all army equipment and that the
NE YER IN good health and heart
and full OF confidence. Perhaps the
most significant thing that came from
Mr.. T~L>NAHT was this:
The Germans desire to know more
than anything else the round figures Of
the British army. II Is therefore i'm
portant that they should have no such
Information
There l. n hint here Of the assem-
bling ot II great British force In
Frame. destined for such ali often
sive IN conjunction with the French
ns has not yet been seen ip the war.
The question l. often asked, Why do
not the Allies strike at some other
part Of the line to relieve the pres
sure ON \erdun: To that question
the answer L. that .JorYRt Is hiding
his time. Tho game of reinforce
meuts il II that must be played
with tinesse. II does not seem To he
the plan If the great French strate-
gi>t to do more on the defensive at
Ncrdun than to obstruct the advance
of the enemy and infict the greatest
possible losses upon him.
1t has been said that the side that
for a long time pressed the offensive
would in the end suffer defeat. That
may he the view of the French com
mnnder III chief. At any rate. lie is
not ready ~ launch his counter Of
fen>ivc. He may be waiting until
the German assault loses Its force
ana the Crown Prince fails TO isolate
Ncrlun and break through on the
line of the Meu>c. JorrRE may be
waiting until the British army In
France is completely equipped and
has II superabundnncc of shell ammu.
milton. Tie may he waiting for the
winter 10 pass, and good roads.
But some day Sir DorGLAs HALO
will get his orders and the greatest
battle of the war will begin, with
General JoFrRE playing his trump
cards. What else Ii the purpose OF
French strntegy; for what else have
the British assembled an army OF
4.NO,ON men or more In France?