New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-05

and the Germans would now be con-
siderably nearer their last line Of de-
fence on French and Belgian soil.
And now for the final exhibit-our
old friend the Somme. The Somme was
British victory, but 1t was not de-
cision. The Battle of Arras. was
greater victory still, but it was not
decision. The victory of Messines
Ridge was not meant to win decision.
And what is the whole lesson OF the
Western front to-day!
Only the British and the French,
aided by every ounce Of strength whlch
the United States can give, Will WIN
decision over the Germans. The de-
cision may come as the result OF q
series of victories crowded in, one close
on the heels Of the other. Or it may
come as the result of one sustained
smash by the three .allies. The one
thing we can be certain of is that the
Allies will only be reaping half the
gain of their victories if the United
States holds back her forces by SO
much as one unnecessary week.
One British Victory
Shook German System
Once in 1915 the British broke
through the German lines at Loos, ana
the whole German system in the north
shook. But there were not enough
reserves. The British retreated silgnt-
" and the German lines reformed. On
the Somme the Allies did not even go
so far, because they were held up at
Tniepval from the very start. IhlepVai
is another Vimy Ridge; it is high, IT
has the Ancre River at its feet, and
ia high plateau commands the battle
fields of the Ancre and the Somme.
The British and French took lower
ground on the Somme as early as July
/ a wear ago. 1t was September before
the high level of Thiepval fell. BY
that time the force Of the main blow
had been spent. ,, A.
The next time a battle like the
Somme is staged the American army
must be ready to take the equivalent
of Thiepval while the British and
French are doing their share. =,
II is no discredit to the armies al
ready in the field to say that II America
had been in last July the decision
might already be won. The men VINO
stormed Thiepval and Vimy Ridge did
all that mortals could do; the Ameri-
cans who took part in that EFFORT were
not at all inferior to thu, Americans
who will come over with the new
armies. ,Vimy was a personal success;
il was not a decisive victory because IL
lacked another army to cooperate with
the armies already engaged. SO II IS
everywhere on the field. Splendid &C.
tons can be fought and won. Inc
final push can only be given when every
power, including America, is strained
to the utmost.
AS we came down Vimy Ridge pup
ran out Of a dugout and barked at US.
II was the first touch of ordinary life
in that desolation, and we all were
rather relieved; we laughed. Then the
officer who was guiding US around said
that tomorrow he would show US some
thing really funny. He took us to Ba-
paume. 49,,
| said | would put nothing into, this
article which did not have direct
bearing on what the United States can
do in the war. Well, Bapaume is an
old story; it's done; and as soon as the
Germans perpetrate worse horror, 1t
will be forgotten. But | think that the
American people ought to be warned
AGAINST one of the great ISLANDERS on
the German race. People go on saying
that the Germans are good soldiers
when they are disciplined in mass, but