The daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Leflore Co., Miss.) 1916-1919, 1916-12-06
CHURCHILL CALLS FOR INITIATIVE.

Winston Churchill says that the original str,
tegic disposition of the British navy was sound il
that the feet from it's bases in Scottish water
delivered "a continuous attack upon the vital in
~terests of the enemy" The stragetic compul
sion to fight was upon him but he preferred IT
suffer rather than fight" a battle of such advers,
odds.
Seeing that there was no chance of the Ger
man fleet making an attack of desperation to re
lieve the blockade the British authorities conclud
ed to offer battle off the enemy coasts. The Jut
land fight ensued but there was no conclusive re
suit. The battle was not completed.
Now, says the former First Lord of the AID.
miralty, the enemy will not fight a decisive bat.
tie to rid himself of distant blockade. He will
not ever fight a decisive battle when it is offered
off his own coast. It is therefore clear that 9th.
er methods must be sought"
The man who says this ought to know. He is
a former cabinet member who resigned, because
of differences with Lord Fisher about the fleet,
and Joined his regiment at the front. From time
to time ne comes back to England to make known
his observations. They are usually pertinent.
This time he shows an exact understanding of the
strategy OF the war, declaring that the task of
the hour is plainly before the naval authorities.
MIR. Churchill says "obstinacy masqueradinp
as resolution" is not enough to discount the con-
ditions" which leave the superior army on land
an effective method of continuous often
slve." This, he maintains, is true of the sea as
well, although he admits that methods of a prac-
tlcal offensive no doubt exist on land and on sea-,
but they have not yet obtained their development
and possibly will not do so during the whole course
the war"
Explaining the situation on the western front
ne says that olden wars saw little difference in
the offensive, but during the American war began
the arrest Of the offensive by fire. Thereafter,
frontal attacks were hardly ever the means of
victory, which was ordinarily gained by holding
the enemy closely in front till superior forces had
overlapped to surround him."
In this war the armies are so large and so we'll
equipped that the whole front from the Alps to
The sea is perfectly maintained and thoroughly
Nothing but the frontal attacks re-
mains. And thus, concludes the former first lord,
by the force OF circumstances, we have been driv-
to attempt tasks many times harder than those
which, before the war, all military experience had
to be impossible"
@AAulouSA AlS!SL1nS II Cne Allies can f1nd no
letter way OF winning than by the crude process
t exhaustion and determination that they are
BILE and ready to tread that terrible road" he new
rtheless maintains that "the obligation to seek
letter methods is imperative on the chiefs of the
Allies. Is generalship content only with ordering
annon to fire and infantry to charge? Is science
ankrupt when she has made shells? Let search
re made, let wits be used, let risks be dared by
hose who have the power to find the shortestI
,ay."
Tn appointment of Admiral John Jellicoe, T.
primer active sea commander, to the position of
rst sea lord, and the promotion of the darinpI
il David Beatty, who has commanded the battle c
rulser fleet in it's several clashes, to active lead
rship of the entire navy of England, shows that !
theirs than. Mr.. Churchill are beginning to look
Or action by the navy. Is
1t is probable that their assumption of entire n
ontrol will mean a holder plan of operation and g
nat a new naval campaign attack on Germany will \ \
g attempted. In this case the war will be de.
sively ended with the defeat of the fleet of Ger p
any by Great Britain and the changes are that
lis is the most feasible for a decision to be
ROUMANIAN SUCCESS AND GREECE. o.