Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-05-21
German tactics
MEET ALLIED Plan
Masses of Men Hurled For
ward to be Cut Down
by Artillery
THOUSANDS ARE
SACRIFICED

WASHINGTON, May 21.-The re-
cent French and British drives on
the western front accomplished their
mission to the entire satisfaction Of
the French and British STATS and
demonstrated clearly that the bower
Of the German military machine had
reached its high peak, according to
the report Of high officer on one Of
the visiting commissions. recently
made to an official Of this government
Nothing that the Germans could
have done would have worked more
quickly toward a decisive result for
our arms than their tactics in at
tempting to block our drive, this
official is quoted as saying
The Germans have demonstrated
! in recent weeks the extreme limit OF
their offensive powers on the western
front, shOr of course OF an absolute
alliance with Russia They withdrew
/ from the Russian front at time
when they knew the Russian forces
were estopped by the condition OF the
terrain from an offensive movement
/ regardless Of internal political CON
ditions) all the troops that posslDl!
could be spared.
| Germans Sacrifice Thousands.
They transferred those troops e
the western front and instituted coun-
/ ter offensives which represented the
extreme limit of their power. The.
massed these men shoulder 10 shout
der, five deep, in drives against oul
\ lines. And they met what? They me
our artillery. firing from semi-perma
nent positions, virtually at salV'
points, with the range determined II
advance. They threw their mel
against this artillery screen and per
mitted them 20 be moved down b!
thousands without gain.
"Now, If they had been successlu
they would nave proved the ineiiieiene'
of our tactics, but they went agains
precisely the situation our tactieian
( had framed and they lost. They hav
failed TO break through our advance
line with the greatest strength they ca
hope to muster. and have given us IN
opportunity to deplete their fighting
ranks by thousands, with comparativel.
b small losses TO our forces.
"Our offensive was planned and inau
ourated with exactly this in view. W
were forced TO 90 forward, diminishin
thereby the effectiveness of our artiller
preparedness. to invite the counter OF
fensive. in which our artillery woul
have the fullest opportunity OF effective
ness. When our forces had reached n
point in their advance at which u
counter offensive on a large scale va
= assured, our artillery preparation can
y TO its greatest usefulness. The loss
p which counter offensives of the Germf
armies on the western front must bril
= will have the double effect Of depletn
y their strength at the front and Tho
It support at home.
n Must Meet Submarines.
"The submarine problem must
answered not only by the number
K merchant vessels offered as potent
D. targets by the allied governments, bl
v also BY the number OF destroyers an
effective submarine chasers place
upon the lanes Of travel by the en-
>, mics of Germany. Speedy destroyer
= are the greatest enemies or the su
: marine. England and France have NJ
been able to build them fast enoug
=; TO cover the large field presented. tt
- use Of United States vessels will
a great help.
Submarines are like whales; the
y must come up for air. aside from n
, necessity OF coming to the surface
o sight their victims. When we ca
~ checkerboard the ocean with subm
rine desiroyers We can reduce the a
Il tivities Of submarines to a minimum