New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-18
What the Allied Drive Means
By Frank II. Simonds

Of Kluck and of Buelow, but It was
green division. commanded by m
experienced officers, and instead OF
holding its ground il retired with dis
astrous consequences. The Bfimont
Hill was taken by the French in the
pursuit after Marine and retaken by
the Germans in late September. when
they endeavored TO take the offensive
again about Rheims.
The immediate objective Of the Brit
ish in their attack is Douai, some ten
miles behind the present German front.
Laon answers the same description for
the French. The fall OF Douai or the
fall Of Laon would probably seal the
fate Of the German position in France.
The fall Of both would mean possible
disaster to the Germans.
II is altogether too early 10 draw any
general conclusion as TO the ultimate
success or failure of the French at
tack. As ~ stands il is not more sue
cessful in ground gained than the
French attack i'm Champagne in 1915.
and in this attack the French took
twenty-five thousand prisoners. against
ten thousand prisoners so far on the
rev battlefield. But there is every rea-
son 10 suspect that we have only seen
the first step.
In any event. there can be little
doubt that we are seeing the beginning
of the great Allied offensive in the
West, opening with a joint operation
of the French and British armies. fully
comparable with that of 1915, with tho
same ultimate purpose of piercing the
German Zines and forcing them out Of
France. In 1915 the British suffered a
bloody check at Loos. where they lost
nearly seventy thousand men and most
of the possible fruits Of the operation
through bad staff work The recent
performance at Arras shows the Brit
ish at last at the height of their task.
Nivelle's success in the operation at
Nerdun gives promise that the French
Will presently measure up 10 the new
record set by the British.
There is one other consideration
which must be borne in mind. linden
burg has vast immediate reserves. and
the general belief has been that he Is
contemplating an offensive in the West
although many hold the view that he
means to strike in the East. Now that
both the British and the French are
committed 70 their main attacks 10 IS
highly conceivable that We may see A
Hindenburg attack elsewhere. But. on
the other hand, il is equally possible
that the extent of the British victory
and the greatness Of the threat that II
carries TO German positions may have
compelled IIindenburg to divert to the
Arras front a considerable portion OF
the men and guns he had intended 70
employ in an offensive of his own. In
this way the British may already have
damned" the German offensive. II
they have. the initiative remains with
the Allies, and they will determine the
battlefelds of the campaign. At the
moment we have seen considerable
British advance which seeks at least
temporarily slowed up. and We are see
ing the first step in a French attack
which does not yet give any hint of a
decisive success such as has been hoped
for.
It is also interesting to note that
Just as the British attack was over the
ground already famous, because of the
battle fought there by the French un-
der Foch in 1915. the scene of the new
French attack is in part memorable be-
cause of the fighting there when the
British. in the pursuit after the Marine:
were brought to halt By the army OF
Kluck. which here took to earth, dug
in and thus began the long period Of
trench warfare the end of which is not
yet assured, although there are signs
that it is at hand.
The night official report of the
French shows an interesting extension
Of the battle to the eastward of Rheims
and between that city and the famous