The Washington herald., 1917-07-15
Kaiser's S Men D Disheartened
By British Triumphs in Air

I can we talk about success and ulti-
mate victory IL both sides are bleed
ing to death in this fashion?
In the answers to these questions
lies the real cause OF the optimism at
the front. Heavy as are the allied
| losses. the attrition process Is not
I operating to the same extent on both
sides. There are several factors at
work this year that are weighing
Germans.
Balance Against Germans.
First comes the allied superiority
In the air. This Is indisputable, and
manifest to the most casual observer.
| On clear days, have seen dozens of
British aeroplanes buzzing over Ger
man lines; to catch sight of an ene-
my plane on our side is now an event.
and an exciting event, because the
venturesome intruder Is sure to be
| fighting an angry swarm OF British
| or French wasps. Sometimes the
/ Germans send squadrons of high
speed scouts scuttling along three
miles into the air, but at these great
attitudes observation even with Ger
man lenses Is not of the best. The
only German squadron l saw myself
during several days of perfect observ-
| ing weather was engaged, at an enor-
nous height, in a struggle with five
or six British planes. There are hun
dreds Of good German aeroplanes, with
! f1rst-class pilots, but so relentless is
the allied aerial offensive that iley
are compelled to remain behind their
own lines on an almost continuous
defensive, and 1t is over German
territory under the protecting fire
of G>Vman arches that nineteen fights
out 81 twenty now take place.
The results OF this situation would
be manifest in the casualty lists even
! II the guns and shells on eacn side
were equal. The Germans are COM
PEELED to shoot of the map" where
| they have not direct observation over
the enemy lines from some higher
grounds; that is, their gunners must
fire at roads whose range can be cal
culated or at places where they mere
ly guess allied guns are placed, in the
absence OF air photography 10 show
them what to shoot at, or OF spot
ting" planes over the enemy positions
to wireless the results of their marks
manship. By taking the Vimy Ridge
and the commanding height at
Monchy, the British early in the Ar
ras fighting deprived the Germans Of
direct observation over their commu-
nications and were able to watch
miles OF the German lines; AN in
stance OF the real value Of winning
ground, not as an end in itself, but
merely as one OF a number Of fac
tors which help to give advantage in
observation. a modern general. asked
whether he would prefer 30 carry a
hill before him or to retain his aero
plane superiority. would almost invari-
ably choose the latter.
British Have Advantage.
Far more enviable is the lot Of the
British and French gunners. They,
too, can shoot of the map. as well
as the enemy. but they are constantly
supplied with areoplane photographs
showing the most minute defensive
works behind the German lines, they
are informed, by aeroplanes which see
the flashes of enemy guns, approx
mately where to shoot to knock out
batteries, and they are able to cor
rect their ranges after each salvo, on
a clear day, in the light of reports
received from airmen who have seen
the shells exploded. Add to this the
superiority in direct observation en-
joyed by the British in the Arras
neighborhood since their initial sue
cess in April, and the strategic sue
cess of Sir Douglas Haig in COM
pelliHs the enemy to stand and night
under such unfavorable conditions
can be appreciated.
Not only are the German gunners
blinded by reason of allied air suprem-
acy, but the enemy is now hopelessly
inferior both in the number of can
non he can bring into action and the
supply of shells he can deliver. The
situation in 1915. when the allied SOL
diers had to endure constant shelling
to which their own guns could not
reply, has now been reversed. British
soldiers are genuinely sorry for the
German infantry today, for they re-
member what they went through two
years ago, and they know how 1t feels.
Early in 1916, the cannon and shells
began piling up on the right side of the
lines, and British staff officers think
that approximately last August, in
the middle of the Somme battles. an
equilibrium was reached and the al
lies and the Germans were about
equal in hre power. Since that time
the allies, thanks in no small degree
to the efforts OF America, have been
drawing steadily ahead. There is now
no comparison; were 1t possible to
give figures which l have seen, they
would astonish the most optimistic.
The Germans have recently been gamb-
ling on a continuance of the lull on
the Russian front by bringing from
the East not only soldiers but guns.
in the hope of temporarily holding
their own in the never-ceasing artil-
lery duel
In the infantry fighting. the Ger
mans have also been placed under
a terrible disadvantage, quite apart
from the heavier shelling they have
to endure Thanks to the possession
Of the strategical initiative -
formidable term that simply means
the allies are forcing the fighting and
compelling the Germans to devote ali
their energies to defense-the allies
are able to attack when and where
they please. This means that they can
prepare as carefully and as long as
they like for an attack, and, with
good luck, keep the Germans guessing
until IL is actually launched as to the
point of impact.