The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-08-04
hits WEAKEST POINT.
WAR EXPERTS SEE CHANCE IN
COASTAL ATTACK.
IL II Fails, Campaign Must Revert to
War Of Attrition, With Victory Far
on.


on.
Washington, July 31.-~The British
French assault on the German right
bank has made profound Impression
here because In the Judgment Of many
American army officers It Ii directed at
the most vulnerable point on the en-
tire German front. Complete sue
cess for the allies swespins the Ger
man line back from the sea along the
entire Belgian coast. would be an Inn
mediate answer to the u-hoat warfare.
The main North Sea basss Tor u-boat
operations would be stamped out. Be-
hind that achievemsnt then would
stand the possibility that the entire
German line in France could be on
dangered by q nsnk attack.
Reports from London or the front
were still too meagre tonight to dis
close the fun scope OF the new oper-
ationa Some observers here were in
clind to believe. however,. that ui,-
less ths drive h supplemented BY ma
val cooperation, with landing behind
the present German front. complete
success 10 not to be expected. q
Tho discussion here brought out
|strongly the fact that many American
of'lcers who have studied the sltua-
tion believe the German right flank
Offers the only real opportunity to
bring the struggle to decisive issue In
q single campaign. M
Short Of that. they can fcresee only
. continuing repetition of the deadly
business Of frontal attack. which in
time would wear down the German
resistance since the allied powers have
the greater resources in men and sup
pills. How long the wearing down
process would require. no official IL
willing to suggest. however, and 1t
In pointed out that II u-boat activity
10 not sharply checked. time will work
strongly against the allies.
Recent German operations have
produced the impression among some
observers that the assault upon the
right flank has been expected by the
German general staff. The surprise
attack some time ago upon small
sector Of the British front, which
swept the allies back beyond the Yser
canal. materially strengthened that
sector for the Germans.
In renewed German assaults upon
the verdun front observers have read
also an attempt to prevent an allied
concentration upon the right fian!:.
In diplomatic quarters. however. the
verdun attacks are coupled also win
the German advance In Galicia to fur
nish the stage setting for the renewal
Of peace suggestions.
The possibilities Of the new offensive
produced the suggestion today that If
the allied front could be extended to
the Dutch frontier. the Netherlands
government might join the allies. Re-
cent reports from neutral sources have
indicated that the Germans feared
some such action by their little neigh
Dor. In that connection 1t has been
noted that numerous small German
steamers lying in Dutch waters since
the outbreak Of the war have been
captured or destroyed recently while
attempting to return to Germany and
that several divisions vi German
troops have been reported massed
along the Dutch frontier.
Some officers strongly believe a
great part OF the German success
heretofore has been due to the fact
that the allies have been forced to ac-
cept the type OF warfare which the
German high command elected. When
the Germans early in the war fell
back to the Aisne and dug them
selves in. the allies followed aui. and
the opportunity for field operations
was quickly lost. The game was
mapped out as the German staff wish
ed IL to be played.
There are officers who believe that
with the allies greater forces and
more powerful artillery. they now
could be certain Of fairly quick sue
cess IL trench lighting could be aban-
doned for the shift and strategy Of
field operations.