The Washington herald., 1917-11-22
Tanks Lead Attacks.

Tanks Lead Attacks.
II Mata Hari. the dancer spy. exc
cutod in France the other day, hsd
lived a short while longer and had
heard OF this hattie today. she miGht
not have gone to her 6eath without
tears, as she did. For this battle
was won, first Of all. by the tanks.
And MaIa Harris chief crime had been
giving the Germans the secret OF these
monsters while the first OF them was
still under construction The Ger
mans had laughed and virtually ig-
nored her warning.
The tanks won this two-days' bat
tie: the tanks tore the HindenbUrE
line 10 tatters: the tanks led the.
way OF the Britis1 TO within three
miles of Cambria, its IaI, now be-
lived near, will mean aae ultimate
fall Of Lille and St Quentin and the
subsequent clearing OF Northern
France OF the invaders.
Not a cannon shot was fired pre-
paratory TO Byng's big push That
was the biggest surprise factor in
the battle. There were u Ce others:
THE tanks, advancing in solid
line ahead Of the infantry did all
the destructive work the artillery
NSAAo nave
mo one. except, probably. the
British high command, had dreamed
Of the possibility OF a drive on such
wide front in the West at his
time Of the year. In the three pre-
vioUs war winters all large-scale
fighting had stopped before Or about
the middle Of this month.
3-If any kind Of offensive was 20
Ulnd N the -
mans-and certainly the British pub
lic-hsd looked for it in Flanders.
Berlin Admits Loss.
The Berlin war office was forced TO
make some grave admissions though
II minimized the British success on
the center, the siX-mile front be-
tween the highrosds from PeronrA
and Bapaume TO Cambria. But news
from the front tonight show that
there, as everywhere else on the
thirty-mile line of attack the British
are Ploushing ahead reIentlessly and
that the fate OF Cambria itself hangs
in the balance.
Indirectly. the German bulletin
gives credit TO the tanks:
'On the main field Of attack the
enemy, succeeded, under protection or
numerous armOred cars. in gaining
ground"
1t then states that Teuton reserves
arrested the thrust in the rear posi-
tions."
But the loss OF vilIages-among them
Graincourt and Marceing-and posi-
tions Of the permanently established
materials, is conceded by the BerIiu
account The statement, recording
violent artillery firing on both sides
OF The present line OF British attack.
shows that Berlin secs no quick end
to the battle.
Fight South of Arras.
The great attack led the British
over much Of the ground where the
last stAges Of the Somme battle were
fought. II takes IN the region 70 the
south of Arras. In the very scene
OF the battle the British seem a happy
omen For q was on the Somme the
British. together with the French.
stopped the crown princes Verdun
cNve last year. at a time when the
big fortress seemed near Its doom.
This tine the drive that alpcady has
swallowed up most OF the line where
last years Souime drive stopped
short Is inevitably linked With TIM
Teuton campaign In Italy. There II a
deep-rooted confidence that the
present drive VIII DO the same ser.
vice 10 the Italians that last year's
push here I'D to Verdun.
oNerRight the fighting tactics IN the
west-and IN the whole war-have
been revolutionized. The genersl as-
.