Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-05
DRIVE VERSUS DEADLOCK


the next few months are equally called
into question by the Anglo -Russo.Franc
Italian offensive which, fourteen month.
beated, entered into its definite phase
July 1. Since May 10, 1915, when the
spring drive was first expected, the change
in the military situation has been i'm
| portant but not vital Russia was in
! conclusively beaten back, Galllpol
abandoned by the British, Serbia overrun
! by the Germans with Bulgarian aid,
| Britain thrown back at Kut, Russia pros
pered, indecisively, at Erzerum, and Italy
alternately advantaged and repulsed in
her struggle with Austria. The balance
of the years activity has been with the
Central Empires. Against it has been the
mere lapse of time which favored the
Entente.
In that period the Entente was com.
PEELED to elaborate new theory of Of.
fensive action, and before the theory
could be prosecuted the German counter.
offensive began at Verdun. In their in.
tention to anticipate and perhaps prevent
an Allied offensive the Germans at Ver-
dun were frustrated at bitter price, for
the chief progress even in the past four
days has been not of the English but pre-
cisely of those French who were to haze
been eliminated at the Meuse The years
work resulted in new method of break
ing the trench deadlock, which. foretold
fifteen years ago by Bloch, was accepted
by military strategists as final year ago.
To understand the method one has only
to In IL, bo
pagne district last September with the
advance the past week.
Briefly the first was based on the pos.
sibility of frontal attack by infantry and
the present move is based on the GER
tainty of frontal attack by artillery.
From September Ii to 25 the French and
English attacked in the Champagne and
about Lens, on a front of 20 miles, after
a long artillery bombardment The gain
was fifty square miles and a great booty
in men and guns, but the action was fu-
tile because no provision had been made
for following the first bombardment with
further artillery support. After the pre-
minary clearing, the work was left to in
fantry That method has been abandoned.
The new mortars, the heavy shells, the
trained gunners who now prepare the
way for first patrol and then infantry de-
tachments, are prepared to continue their
work after the first lines have fallen, to
move forward and clear paths for the
infantry at every step. The elaboration
of the German trenches into fortifcations.
with mounted guns covering the com.
municating trenches and the spaces be.
sg,N, ~
new schedule of fighting. The duty of
the infantry is only to hold what the ar.
tillery has gained. The trench warfare
is, after all, an extension of the methods
of Verdun.
But where Verdun has heights for de-
fense the present attack of both the
French and English is over level ground,
and the German defensive must be limited
to checking artillery fire VIRTUALLY an inn
and counter-attack. an expen.
sive process not agreeable to those who
have given so much at Verdun and on
the Eastern front already. The hopes of
the Allies rest on sheer weight of shells.
Their chances of success are measured
by the amount OF munitions they can
produce and by their superiority in avail
able men. Any trench can be leveled II
sufficient iron is thrown against it. No
trench can be held without men.
These underlying circumstances are es-
sential to understanding every phase of
the frightful battle now at issue. The
direction of Russian activity since July
indicates that while the sweep into Aus.
tria, with purpose to eliminate her as an
active contender, is to be prosecuted,
the chief service of Russia must be in
holding the centre and north against the
Germans. Whether, primarily, Russia !
throws back Won Hindenburg is trivial, |
so long as Won Hindenburg is engaged |
and his men kept under fire. Indirectly !
aiding Russia in that end the italian of.
sensive serves and in that the quiescent |
may serve. It is certain that |
Russia has not put forth her final effort !
against the purely German invaders. It |
IS questionable whether even that effort |
2an cope with the extraordinary tactical |
genius and the superb control of the |
armies now behind the Dvina. For in
avery speculation of victory there re-
mains the dominant factor of German
genius and German strength.
The change in tactics does not involve
change in strategy, for the detectives
n the present drive are what they would
rave been under the older method OF at
acIS. The German army now under fire
'ests on Peronne, just as their armies
n Russia rest on the Pripet marshes.
N three days the French under Foch ad-
'anced TO within three miles of this new
ortress, while the English, on a more
attended line, threaten the northern COM
South and east OF Peronne
les st. Quentin, the grand headquarters
4 the German General Stan. naturally
point OF attack. The attack is, so far,
N positions. rather man on railway cen.
res. but the latter are involved and a
hitting OF the attack north az Lille or
.gainst the Douai-cambrai line of sup.
,ly is 20 be expected There is reason
o believe that the first assault. a matter
4 several weeks. will be successful
should Il be, the outcome would be a
etirement OF the Germans to a line, IN.
ready to receive them. con
a g.lrr farfE.ar baok IN ebas Ino a.. |