New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-10
C-oat w ar 6 { n d.
German Military Strength
Ebbing, Say French Experts
Constant Blows on West Front Have Worn Down
Once Wonderful Army Machine, and Americas
Entrance Is Expected To Be Last Straw

'front.' IL is known that the Russian
winter practically puts stop 10 an
active operations and that the reac-
ton Of the internal events In Russia
on the Eastern front has allowed Ger
many TO consider it during four months
AS vcritable reserve for the western
front.
Germans Recognize Peril
at clearly appears At present tna .
the German staff. remembering inc o,.'i
zeal situation in which theg , Iou,h
themselves following the Anglo len.n
success on the Somme IN lvlo, ie"r W
see their Western front orohe" y! W"
Allied ofTensiyes in l9l" 49, Aba,
"All the measures they nav an
have been defensive IN chaiae'.,, ~
tended 70 strengthen their resistance
~ Tho fac, Of Anglo-French forces
Not content with declining TO give pay
tie and withdrawing portion Oh ,n'n
front on the Hirdenburg posl''oh' tnei
have transported TO the western ION
between January and Apili cet'al"
number Of divisions drawn from NV
Eastern front. As this did not sull0e'
they have drawn the picked men from
each Of their companies on the has'elh
front. and with the assistance OF 'hc
class of 1915 have formed t"enty-seveh
new divisions. twenty-sN OF WIN"
have appeared in France.
"Tbev have. then, exchanged their
pickcd troops Of the Eastern 'front.' TOT
The inferior ones of the Western front
Oardwehrl. Finally, once the battle
began. in order to hold out. they have
successivcly replaced. number Tor mum
her sixteen exhausted divisions from
the French front ny fresh DIVISIONS
from the Eastern front.
"Uowever. in spite Of using all these
methods. Of which the latter have only
heon possible this year, due to the
trouble made by the Russian revolu-
tion. Germany has made her supreme
military effort. 4,
"Tbis is evidenced by the two fol-
lowing statements, which should be
compared for future enlightenment:
How Zoe Is Wearing Down
"First-After the formation OF the
twcnty-seyen divisions above men
toned. Germany had intended 70 ere
ate ten more divisions with the regl-
ments of the series 60l-G02. Not only
has she been obliged to abandon the
latter part Of her programme, IN spite
of calling out portion OF the class
of 1919. but she has been obliged 10
break up several newly formed regl-
ments to reinforce her lighting units.
and for the first time since the begin
ming Of the war q clear decrease in
the total strength OF the German forces
is on record.
Second Al The very time that her
total strength is diminishing Germany
finds herself obliged 20 increase her
reserves on the French front to forty
divisions, with the sole aim OF provit-
ing relay and resistance. Therefore,
lust as the offensive strength Of the
Germans has been broken in the oper
fields on the Marine and User and m
the trench warfare at Nerdun. her
facilities for mannuyring that is TO
say. the possibility Of transporting
valuable reserves from one front 20
another, is prevented at present by the
continuity and intensity of the Anglo
French offensive. Germany has stu
great powers OF resistance which VIII
take all the Allied forces 10 break. She
Is capable of executing very vigoroua
local ofTensives. But her resources arc
diminishing at the very moment when
the military situation requires that
they should increase.
THAT is the principal point
ION the other hand. British and
French armies have reached their full!
strength in men and material, and are
capable. with the help OF America. Of
maintaining the enormous strength
which they have gained TO the end OF
the war. To this strength will be
added the great American army, which
will arrive as quickly as possible, as
three years Of war have demonstrated
the value Of time and the advantage of
each day gained.
This shows the decisive character
attending the operations OF 1913, when
three great democracies, England,
France and America. will unite their
entire strength in attacking the enemy.
in conformity TO the only sound prin-
ciple of war"