The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-05-09
SIX MILLION GERMAN
SOLDIERS ENGAGED
Col RepingtOn Gives impress.
siOns After Visit to Front.
FOE STILL VERY STRONG
Military Expert Outlines Gigantic
Task Before General Haig.

| LONDON, May 9.-Colonel Reping-
ton, the military expert of the London
Times, writes as follows:
81 have been afforded an opportun-
ity OF visiting the Somme battlefields
and recognizing the connection be-
tween the events OF last year on that
front and the fighting now in prog
ress on the front from st. Quentin to
Lens. 1 have passed along the present
line, seen the fighting and talked to
many of the chief actors in the drama
which is holding a world audience en-
thralled. 1t may, therefore, be eX-
pedient that summarize the opinions
formed as the result OF these expert
ences.
In order to understand the nature of
the task set for Filed Marshal Haig
this year it is necessary for all to
realize the nature OF the opposition
which copfronts us and our French
AM Belgian allies. The Germans are
still very strong; in fact, stronger
than they ever have been. 1t is not
open TO us to reckon that they have
less than 100000 men in the field
on both fronts, 500, 900 on their lines
OF communication and .0O0.O00 in the
depots in Germany. They have increased
the number OF their divisions in the
west to 1856. The German forces are
fairly well maintained. Their COM
panies average 200 rifles.
Prisoners Furnish Proof.
Those who doubted the existence
of the new German divisions to which
1 often have alluded must nov change
their views, for all the first series of
/
have been identified in one theater or
another. General RawlinSon's troops
captured 400 Of these gentry In a re-
cent affair. II there are still skeptics
in the government it would be well TO
parade these prisoners in Dow't1g
street and show the numbers on their
shoulder straps. Our admirable in
lteIligence service has once more found
faithful guides.
ITO be still confronted with 6OOO,-
900 German fighters makes the later
stages OF the war a serious matter
for all the allies. We have besides
to reckon with 100000 men in each
successive German class as It Is called
up. The 1918 German class Is already
Incorporated, and the 1919 class is in
the depots. but there is a reverse 10
this. The German method OF combtng
out the German industries Is prac-
ticaIly at an end. The only drafts
available are the young class and the
recovered wounded. There will not
be enough. il the fighting coatirues
on the old scale, to keep the ranks
full In this case some time this
wear Germany must begin 10 use part
Of the new formations as drafts. and
~ NAV be a second series OF new di-
visions will be drawn upon for this
purpose.
"Tbese new divisions exist, but
| they are in a sense a blum. for the
| German headquarters stan must
| know perfectly well. and must have
known when # formed them, that
| they could not, with diminishing
resources of men. maintain $50 divi-
sions in the field. Certainly they
knew this, but they placed all their
| goods in their shop windows to create
| the Illusion that their stock on hand
was limitless and to afford their enc
| mics fresh reasons for listening to
their offers for peace negotiations
Morale Stn Respectable.
THE morale OF the German armies
on our front is still respectable. There
are nothing but active and reserve
formations fighting the British. and
there is practically no difference in
| military value between these two
| categories. They vary as they do in
all armies. All the Landwehr and
| Landsturm troops that were left on
/ our front have gone east. We have
| the best German troops to deal with
| They still fight stiffly. 1t is true that
| ON April Q they were Handsomely
beaten and driven out of very strong
| posItIons with great loss Of prison
| ers and guns, sometimes surrendering
tameIy, but II must be allowed that
Horne were so admirably mounted
/ and that the whole operation was
| such a perfect model Of a prudent Of
/ fensive that the Germans were COM
| pletely outclassed.
..The attacks OF April % and the
the attacks of Generals Allenby and
following days showed the enemy in
a better light He counter attacked
| fercely again and again, and there
, followed some of the bitterest fight
ing Of the war. 1t is not improbable
that the German commanders had
been severely reprimanded for their
failure OF the 9th. and ordered to
take the offensive. This suited us
well, as we had the better ground
with very powerful artillery, and the
! longer the German counter attacks
continued the better we were pleased
and the more men the enemy lost
But we must admit he showed spir-
IL. even IL he did not display much
tactical intelligence. On the whole we
cannot call the German morale bad l
could also take little exception TO the
quality Of the prisoners I saw"
ATTACKS WILL.