New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-17

that followed the first dash.
Going back to the German attack upon
Ncrdun. it will be seen that from February
p TO the middle Of August the Germans
advanced about six miles at the extreme
roint. where their trcnchcs touched the
ditch of Fort de Souvillc. The British
before Arras and in the face Of not less
complete dcfcnces. have covered an equal
distance in six days. At no time after the
FIRST week at Verdun was there any chance
tha. the Germans could pierce the French
line. but to-day the salvation Of the whole
German front before Arras depends upon
the supplementary defence lines the Ger
mans NAV have constructed prior to the
present battle and far behind their earlier
positions. What the Germans sought to
do at Vcrdun the British have accom-
plshed in a measure before Arras.
Here is a basis for reckoning the tech
meal proficiency of the British army in the
new warfare The blow struck at Arras
is already more considerable than the Ger
man blow at Vcrdun. If the British arc
now stopped as were the Germans they
will have achieved more with the new
army than the Germans were able TO ac-
complsh with the pick Of their veteran
army fourteen months ago.
But we must recognize that the present
outlook points rather toward an immense
expansion Of the British success. We can
sec that it has already surpassed the old
trench battles of Loos, Champagne and
the Sommc on the Allied side, and Of Yer
dun on the German side. To-day the
comparison must be with the operation Of
Brusiloff a year ago in Galicia, which opened
a breach in Austrian positions and com
PEELED a material shortening of the Aus
trian line. There was a time when 1t
seemed as if this victory might compel
general withdrawal along the entire East
ern front. The Central Powers were
thrown off their balance, and for weeks
their lines swayed backward and for
ward as the German line is swaying now
in France Had Brusiloff been able TO
follow up his victory the Germans and
Austrians might have been compelled to
leave Galcia and Poland, as the Germans
may be compelled now TO leave France.
For a certain number of days, and per
haps weeks, the situation before Arras
must be considered in the light of last
years Galician campaign. There the Ger
mans were able finally to bring Brusiloff
to a dead halt without having to change
their main front from Riga to the Pinsk
Marshes. Conceivably, Hindenburg will
now be able to stop Haig somewhere be-
tween Arras and Douai without drawing
in his armies to the north or to the south.
But it is equally possible that he will fail
in his effort and the whole line in France
will 60
This suggests the other parallel, that Of
Mackensen in Galicia. Two years ago
this month. after a very long preparation,
Mackensen struck the Russian line along
the Dunajec River pierced all the Russian
lines and threw the Russian armies off
their balance The result was long Rus
sian retreat, in places over two hundred
miles. the evacuation Of Galicia, the loss
Of Poland. and the final stand between the
Pinsk Marshes and the Gulf of Riga. I'm
less Hindenburg shall now be able to check
Haig we may see at no distant time
repetition of the incident of the Galician
campaign Of 1915. Any considerable fur
Their British advance beyond Douai, for
example, which is only ten miles from the
present British front-will mean that the
Germans will have to retire on their whole
front from the North Sea to the Meuse
River. It will mean that they will have TO
retire under pressure; that they will have
TO retire rapidly, and that they will be cX-
posed to all the perils of forced retreat.
We shall not know for some days whether
this is to happen or not but it is no longer
absurd to view this as possibility.
In sum. the Battle Of Arras has already
become the biggest incident on the often
sive side for the Western Allies since the
Battle of the Marne. 1t may prove the