The Washington herald., 1917-05-06

4 COAldRoS
| OF the whole German coalition.
Slow withdrasvaI Blocked.
The allies viii do their best, and IT
Is very likely to be a very god best.
to upset this plan, and, by breaking up
the German front during the present
hazardons process of slow withdrawal.
win the war before winter The disas-
trous defeat suffered recently by the
Germans north and south OF Arras was
a severe blow to the German scheme,
because it involved the capture Of one
Of the hinges upon which the retreat in
i the center was linked with the trench
lines to the north, that stand arin for
the present. But 1t would be folly to
| ignore the strong chance that Hinden-
burg viii succeed in standing with In
tact armies next autumn on the lire
running through Antwerp. Namur, VAL
eneiennes and Verdun. II he does, this
line win be q very strong one and can
be held with fewer men and guns than
the present front, and unfortunately It
Is true that the British and French
armies win have nowhere to turn for
men
Teutons Count on Men.
This scheme Of the willy Teuton IL not
necessarily unsound because Of the argu-
ment that IL the allies lose men, use up
their shells and wear out their guns, the
sams fate will befall the Germans. It Is
the kernel of the German theory about
the present western campaign that by
acting on the defensive they can com
pei the allies to pay a very much high
er price In men than the toll of German
lives exacted by the British and French.
/ and that TO storm defensive works the
attacker must be willing to fre ten times
as much ammunition as the defender.
Germany at present has fewer men than
q - ali =
factpring power, so long supreme. has
been caught up with and passed-with
American help-so that the present
strategy In the west, whether sound or
not. was imposed by force Of eircum-
stances, when once the Sonms battle
some measure Of retreat became necss-
sary. But 4 It Is sound, it is Just pos
sible that not even the superior resources
Of the allies will enable them to hnd
enough men and make enough guns and
shells to make up the huge disproportion
which the Germans think the attaeker
must have over the general who stands
upon the defensive.
Where America oouBts.
Here is where Amsriea comes IN. As
srlrning the truth Of the whole argument
Of the German General Staff, II follows
that England and France could be COM
} PEELED to a peace OF exhaustion this winter
because they would be confronted by In
tact German lines In the West and would
not have enough men to storm than In
the spring Of &12
! But II the Omitted States sets promptly
: to work raising and equipping million or
: more young and strong msn-ths equivs-
, lent Of the storm troops which the
French and German armies have used
/ In their most important attacks until
: there can be but few such msn lsft In
the continental armies-thsn the whole
German plan IL doomed to certain eestrue-
L ton
No matter how sk1ufui the Kaiser-s gen.
erals. or how well their retirement is car
rted out In the west this year, or how
. great the losses they inhfet upon the
!, French and British. they could not stand
: against the impact Of such Q new force
thrown against them next spring.
, Prompt Training Necessary.
It Is accordingly highly probable that II
! America sets to work promptly to raise
armies in such fashion that the Germans
are convinced they can be used next
! spring on the West front, and II the SUBJ
marine warfare fails to reduce the West
tern allies to unbeatabls privation. Ger
4 many will surrender. But II American
armies are not raised, or are trained
! ! slowly and in a half-hearted and muddl-
ing fashion, the Germans will conclude
, that they have nothing to fear from
: the United States and Will continue their
efforts for military draw. They have a
good chance Of getting q draw, In the
opinion Of some Of the best critics in
> Europe, unless the United States sees Mt
; to prepare to deal the deciding blow
r against them ON land.
Reports from ireland indicate that the
Intervention Of the United States has dis
: mayed the extremists and lessened the
. bitterness prevailing among Irishmen
against England. for America and the
l Irlsh-Americans are admired and respect
! ed, and the mass of the Irish peasantry
t will not believe that the United States
n would join with England. with the sup
E port Of the bulk Of the Irish-Americans,
: in an unjust, aggressive war such as
: agttetors have told them England is
i waSinE.
Irish Enthused by Amsries.
! The Home Rule sore remains, but ths
5 better feeling produced by Wilson'S
I speech and American beIligerency makes
4 settlement more likely when the gov
}, ernment tackles the problem. There is
Y more hope here Of obtaining some new
0 Irish divisions from the $4,000 men of
] military age still unenlisted in Ireland
than there was before our break with
!: Germany. I am told that from all parts
Q OF Ireland within the past two weeks re-
{ ports have been coming in that Irishmen,
e with all the world at war. are feeling a
. little out Of 1t. and are willing to fight II
3 the Ulster controversy can only be
: patched up and home rule introduced
$ Moderate Irish feeling also counts on
' President Wilson to use his influence, II
necessary, to obtain for Ireland what the
e allies are seeking to win for other ma
tons. a boon England in her present
o mood would be glad enough to grant II
the Irish could agree among them
selves.
. The attitude of the Nationalist Irish
2 toward American Intervention was ex-
pressed yesterday by the Freeman 5
Journal. the Redmond Official organ in
Dublin. which stated: "It is quite true
that nobody would expect America to
|, interfere in England's domestic diff
: ferences. but as time goes on It is un-
thinkabls that America, fighting for the
!. principles laid down by President Will
: son and having such large population
4 of Irishmen in her States, viii not point
! out to England the necessity Of acting in
= accordance with her own principles"
a Wilson Speech Given to Irish.
4 Copies of President Wilson's speech to
. 4 n Hr,rk