New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-28
Victorious" Germany

recall again what its detectives are, since
we are presently to be confronted by
German maneuvre which, assigning false
detectives, will seek to establish the idea
that the Allies have failed. The whole
world is pretty fairly familiar now with
the present German strategy. 1t aims at
a desperate and final defensive which shall
prevent a military decision this year and
thus pave the way for peace by ne
gotiation.
Since the Allies took the offensive, on
July /, 1916, the Allied objective has been
steadily to wear down German resistance
and German resources by local attacks
with limited purposes until such time as
Germany should be compelled either to
shorten her lines or to hold them so thnly
that she would face the same kind of
collapse that came to Lee in the spring
of 1866.
1t was essential that the Allies should
first establish moral superiority over
the German on the battlefield. Thanks to
superior equipment and better training,
the German had, during the first year and
q half of trench war, fought at an advan-
tage, not always conceded by the troops
who faced him, but of infinite value be-
cause it was accepted by his own troops;
thanks to heavy artillery, superior NUM-
tons, better trench weapons, the German
had the advantage right up to the moment
Of the Battle of the Somme. He had also
regained the offensive when he began his
tremendous but ultimately unsuccessful
drive upon Verdun.
Looking backward over fourteen
months, what have the Allies on the West
ern front accomplished and what will be
the harvest of the present year? The
answer is simple. First of all, they have
asserted material superiority; they
have more guns, more ammunition; better
guns and better ammunition. The Ger
man used to rely upon his heavy artillery,
but his heavy artillery is now unable to
meet the enemy, not shot for shot, but
one shot for two, or one shot for three
DESPITE certain temporary interruptions
the Allies have also been able to assert
superiority in the air and to interrupt
German observation.
Next. they have established moral su-
periority, and the measure of this achieve
ment is to be found in certain battles.
Thus. since the French and British took
the offensive on the Somme, on July of
last year, there have been fought these
considerable engagements: The Somme,
the French offensives at Verdun, Arras,
I.heims, the contest now going forward
about Yptes and, finally the recent often
sive attack at Verdun.
At the Battle of the Somme the British
and the French together took $4,000 pris-
Cners. In their two offensives in October
and December Of last year at Verdun the
French took 1900 prisoners. At Arras,
N April of this year, the British took
10000 prisoners, and in their fight east
and west of Rheims in the same month
and in the next the French took 81, 900
prisoners. So far the British have capt
ured 10000 prisoners at Ypres and 1000
about Lens, and the French bag of pris-
oners in the recent Verdun attack already
passes 5000. In fourteen months, then,
in battle the French and British Allies
have taken more than $4,000 prisoners
en- the Western front, and the captures
in minor skirmishes swell this total we'll
beyond 100000.
Aside from the capture Of prisoners
there are other standards of measure
ment. More than one thousand guns,
heavy and field, have been taken in battle
from the Germans, while the total loss Of
the British in guns during the entire war
has been under one hundred. At Arras
alone the British took about 225 guns,
risny Of them heavy. The capture Of ma
dime guns and war material, particularly
al Arras, was enormous.