Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-10-10

VI
DAYS, YOU can understand why the Ger
man losses on the western front grow
heavier and heavier. (They admit the
loss Of 10000 men during the month
of May; 114000 men are estimated by
the Allied staff during the month Of
June, etc0.
This is because the fighting on the
western front, as a matter of fact prac-
tically never ceases. Whether in the
French sectors Of eVrdun or the Aisne,
or in the English sectors Of Arras and
Ypres, the fighting is only discontinued
at one point to be taken up at another.
In addition to the big attacks, a guam
tity of carefully prepared small ac-
lions which have been crowned with
success and Of which the bulletins are
not able to give a clear idea, increase
the attrition of the Germans.
This constant activity. coinciding
with the weakness and inaction Of the
Russians. also explains why the Ger
mans are obliged to maintain. and
succeeded in effectually maintaining,
three times larger forces on the French
u.
the beginning of the summer there were
156 German divisions to 700 kilometres
on the French front as against 100 Aus
tro-German and Bulgarian divisions,
Il Of which were German, on the east
ern 'front.'. 1t is known that the Rus
sian winter practically puts a stop to
all active operations and that the re-
action Of the internal events in Rus
STA on the eastern front has allowed
Germany to consider 1t during four
months as a veritable reserve for the
western front
1T clearly appears at present that
the German staff, remembering the
critical situation in which they found.
themselves following the Anglo-French
success in the Somme in 1916, fears to
see their western front broken by the
Allied offensives in 1917.
German Measure Defensive
All the measures they have taken
have been defensive in character. intend
ed to strengthen their resistance in the
face Of Anglo-French forces. Not con-
tent with declining to give battle and
withdrawn a portion OF their front on
the Hindenburg position, they have trans
ported to the western front between jan
uary and April a certain number Of d.,
visions drawn from the eastern front AS
this did not suffice they have drawn the
picked men from each Of their companies
on the eastern front and with the assist
ance Of the class OF 1918 have formed q
new divisions; 96 OF which have appeared
IN France.
They have then exchanged their pick
ed troops Of the eastern front for the in
ferior ones Of the western front Gland
wehrs). Finally. once the battle began. IN
order 70 hold out they have SUCCESSFULLY
replaced number for number. IS exhaust
ed divisions from the French front by
fresh divisions from the eastern front.
Supreme Military Effort
However in spite Of using all these
methods, of which the latter have only
been possible this year, due to the trouble
made by the Russian revolution, Germa-
ny has made her supreme military effort
This is evidenced by the two follow
ing statements which should be compared
for future enlightenment:
latter the formation Of the q d.
visions above mentioned, Germany had
intended to create 10 more divisions with
the regiments of the series 601-eo2. Not
only has she been obliged to aba:d6n the
latter part of her program in spite Of
calling out a portion cf the class OF 1919.
but she has been obliged TO break up sew
eral newly formed regiments TO reinforce
her fighting units and for the first time
since the beginning Of the war a clear
decrease in the total strength OF the Ger
man forces is on record.
pat the very time that her total
strength is diminishing, Germany finds
herself obliged TO increase her reserves
on the French front to 40 divisions
with the sole aim of providing relay
and resistance Therefore. just as the
offensive strength of the Germans has
been broken in the open fields on the
Marine and User and in the trench
warfare at Nerdun, her facilities for
maneuvering. that is TO say. the pos
sibility OF Transporting valuable re-
serves from one front to another is
prevented at present by the continu-
itv and intensity of the Anglo-Frenc
offensive. Germany has still great
powers of resistance which Will take
all the allied forces to break She is
capable of executing very vigorous To-
cal offensives But her resources are
diminishing at the very moment when
the military situation insures that they
should increase. That is the principal
point.
"On the other hand, British and
French armies have reached their full
strength in men and material and are
capable. with 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 operati Of 1918. when
three great democracies, England,
France and America, will unite their
entire strength in attacking the enc
my. in conformity to the only sound
principles Of war;
WAGE INCREASE