The Washington times., 1917-06-04
GERMANS DECEIVED
BY Won HINDENBURG
Not Told Real Truth About
Western Front
LINES PIERCED MANY TIMES
But Public Is Told They Are as
"Unbreakable as Ever"
LINES PIERCED MANY TIMES

WITH THE FRENCH ARMIES, May
19.-By Mail)-Since the beginning OF
the present offensive on the western
front Germany's much vaunted "un-
breakable" lines have been pierced
time and time again by the com
bined attacks OF the French artillery
and infantry.
With the artillery concentrations
that France now has at her command,
and which are bound to Increase with
every month Of the war. It has been
demonstrated that the German lines
can be pierced at any time and in
any place that the French military
authorities may choose.
To meet this changed situation Ger
many has adopted q new fiction with
which to keep up the confidence OF
the German public in the strength Of
the German western front. Instead
OF announcing now with each thrust
forward Of the French that his lines
remain "unpiereed," Hindsnburg de-
cIares that they have remained rs
and as ''unbroken" as
ever.
what Isn't Explained.
The one thing that isn't explained
Is that the line remains unbroken
merely because Il bends. and that IL
bends merely because 1t has been
pierced. As q matter Of fact, prac-
tically every large French attack at
the present time plerces the German
front. This forces the regiments and
divisions at the point where the
French have gone through to fall
back in order to keep from being en-.
circled from behind. Their falling
back draws with them the other Ger.
man units with which they are in i'm.
mediate contact. By a general bend
ing backwards of the line the Ger.
mans manage to close up the gap. and
are able again to announce that their
line has remained unbroken."
As a result OF repeated piercings--
and piercings that began with the
battle OF the Somme last fall prac
tically the entire German line In
France from its barbed-wire and
trench rigidity OF two and a halt
years has now taken on the form and
consistency OF an India rubber front
A general retreating movement has
now been imposed on the Germans
II has been imposed by repeated pierc
Ings Of the line-piercings which the
French. with their present artillery
concentrations, are able to keep up
II necessary. until the entire German
line, in order to keep itself "un
broken" wriggles and draws back
until II is again within the borders OF
its own country.
Piercing May Become Break
when the Germans began their re
treat from the Noyon salient as Z
result OF the piercing of their Iinel
by the Somme offensive. they wer'
forced to abandon positions OF I
strength which IL never will be pos
sible for them to duplicate again OF
the western front.
Hand in hand with every steI
backward to less advantageous posi-
lions, the strength OF Germany's new
| elastic front also weakens. Eacl
French attack and each piercing o
the line imposes a loss in matsria
and in men that entails an inevitabl,
weakness OF the lines resistance a
whole.
While France Is prepared " neces
sary to keep up her present tactic
Of imposing a squirming retreat b!
the constant piercing OF the line, sh
has every reason to believe that be
| fore long the time will come whei
one OF these piercings will becom
break"