The Brunswick news., 1917-08-03
THE END-MAYBE.

menSlVe IN the history OF this war of
warfare unparalleled, says the Macon
Telegraph. Well executed minor Of
fensives to obtain famous positions
in actions that two years ago would
have been looked upon in themselves
as epOchal came one after another
and all were seen by the map to be
working for definite end. That end
was then predicted to be the smash
ing and rolling back of the famous
Seigfried line-possibly so far the
Germans would find it good military
tactics to evacuate France. At any
rate, these preliminary movements,
such as the Messines and Vimy Ridge
advances presaged a mighty, world
shaking advance to follow because
they were so great themselves.
Now from the Vosges to the Chan
mel the mighty guns belch forth their
ceaseless vomit of uncounted ton
heavy messengers of death and de-
struction in a veritable rain of hell
fire, traversing the heavens in sinis-
land and France move forward under
the inferno OF barage that is clearing
the way for them, a dozen villages,
and guns and prisoners by the thou
sands fall to their hands the first few
hours. But this is not the same old
frontal attack which has made this
wars military advances up to date
rather bootless affairs. III their ire
mendous efficiency OF preparation, III
their rising superior to redoubts and
ramparts of concrete and steel. III
their organizing 10 wipe from in front
OF them even the mole-dug corridors
into which the Germans have dug
themselves the English and French
have been able TO make it fight
along the lines of the old strategy
OF those very fields on which they
fight. today, when one great, success
ful battle might be brought to end a
war They are striking to turn the
German flank In war that is not
open they are striking to force the
effect OF open maneuyers, transcend |
and beat down trench warfare that a |
single, stupendous, determining move |
ment may be successfully executed,
1t is for this mammoth undertak
ing that the big guns have doomed |
and reared in an intensity Of drum |
fire even Berlin days/a ago admitted
was the most intense i'll the history
of all warfare 1t is for this great |
advance the worlds greatest army,
with the hard way cleared before its
feet by giant road blazers goes over |
the top and trudges in unending, in
file against the shattered |
and crumbling German defenses.
For the land fighters of England |
and rance would save the keys TO |
all the oceans before they be slow |
y but grimly wrested from the fin |
gers OF the giant nayies that are
slowly losing them. Petain and Haig |
would turn the great German flank |
along the Belgian coast hammer and |
blast and trenchbomb their way |
through until the Holland border is |
reached. rescue the mouth of the !
and-win the war!
II they can do this thing they set
out to do, they have won the war.
1t matters not What the Russians do
in Galicia, it matters not whether
Constantinople is safe-nothins else
matters 1t will not be SO important
that the Germans to protect their
armies in the event of this success
full thanking move will have to hurry
out of France and give up not only
al lthat great terrain, but most Of
Belgium, too, so they may straighten
and protect their line, important
though that would be. The great
crowning, completin, crushing end
would be that Germany's submarines
would be largely bottled up. They
would have to leave from Kiel and
Heligoland They could no longer
strike directly.
The Scheldt has been the giant tor
pedO tube through which Germany
has launched her menace to the ship
ping of the world and the success OF
the allied cause 1t is along the banks
Of this Belgian river her great sub
marine bases are located, from its
mouth they have stolen i'll large mum
bers to strike down the English ships
as they gather home with the trib-
ute from the Seven Seas Il Petain
and Haig can turn the German flank
along the Belgian coast, can win the
mouth of the Scheldt, link up with
the Holland border and held those
positions. Germany's last chance will
have gone glimmering so that even
Prussian eyes can see the final flick
er. For then Germany will be bot
tied up. Not even for her underWa-
ter craft will she have aught but the
most difficult and Ineffective access
to the only war theater where she