New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-16
4 German View of the War
The En Sotoc Problem Illuminating Way BY Expert
W,hns the Frankuter "Zctung' Of October last

much stress has been laid on purely vi,
tary problems II soon appeared that t,i,a'
are no longer as they once were, whec W.
did not cut so deeply into the life a, ~
nations, and that to-day the economic fa.,.-
arc no less important that the miltar, o,..
Experience shows us now that none q, ~
great peoples az war can be put out Of -.
FIGHT so long as the civilian population ~
hind the armies can deliver what is neees,,,-
70 carry on the war. Nowadays the life v.;.'
of country must be severed; then o,I
would a so-called military victory be po,,h.
This sentence sounds, perhaps, a little =
treme to military ears, but there is ma.
significance in the fact that its justice 4.
been first recognized in Germany. Gem,,
leadership has often exhibited a very v,..,
acumen, and 1t is very noteworthy that th.,.
first of all. the weakness of the bare yesn..
has been conceded where Kultur has ro..
depended upon it, The result of this viaw v,'
the stiffening of the U-boat war. The Gern,,.
bui!t in The West the Siegfried. or Hind.
burg or Nibelungen line, devoted ,bsn
selves to an active defence, and hoped. m.,,
while, to cut the life veins Of the enenv,
civilian population, so that the armies NJ.
An overripe fruit, would perish, or, IN ord,
to escape that fate, would run 10 d.,n
against impossible German walls. The arm,
leadership of the Entente has for long tim.
VIC believe for longer time than that a,
the Central Powers, chung TO the possibll,v
of a purely military victory; that is, on n,
overcoming of the enemy's power By setu,l
military means. The blockade policy SHOW.
also that we have now put this belief /,
the second place. To-day we are OF II.
opinion that the economic factor is the chic,
factor: that military victory is possibl. onv
when the economic factor has done its wort
The belief in the possibility OF a purely mill.
tary victory grounded itself on the super,
ior;ty attained last spring in numbers on q,
West 'front.' According to the calculator,
of the French General staff (see JOurrL
Oficiel. mage 235l, the numerical superiont,
in the spring Of 1917 amounted on the Frr,E
front to 40 per cent and on the Italian (Ers.
iish?) to 200 per cent. The experiences q
the spring offensive of General Niyelle hay.
demonstrated, however, that, in view Of ls
German methods of defence, this su2erior,,
carnot be employed to anything ike its frn
effect.
Both Camps on the Defensive .
What, then, remains? 1t is very possiS,
that even with the present method, create,
military advantages could be obtained 4
masses were sent recklessly under fire. For
France trial of this possibility cannot Be
considered. She has made enough sacrifice.
TO the cause of popular freedom and has 10
intention Of bleeding herself to death Beside
she expects in the spring the appearance o.,
considerable fresh army. She has, then, ever,
ground. to remain on the strategical d.
fe~siye. With this general war policy ever.
body in France agrees, and the barney h.
tween the government and the Chamber &
complete on this point. However paradoral
it sounds, both camps now conduct defesT,
war, and the offensive on sea and thw1n
the blockade of the Entente on land are c,I
against the supply lines. Blockade sgairr
blockade; whoever has the greater stayir,
power wins.
Thus they interpret in French circles II,
satisfying declaration of the new govern.
ment. The name of Petain is also guar.
antee that in the future French blood vii
not be shed uselcssly, and these are slv
the Arguments which led the Temps ons
weeks age to declare that /. is now tine 8.
last to call politics to the aid Of strategy
The military critic of the "Basle NeEs'
Count Egli, calls the more or less ofea
declaration of the report which we have
quoted, that France has given over in grss,
part the offensive, one of the most impOr.sn.
pieces of news which could come to Il.
attention Of the German High Command
This judgment is obvious, granted that the
news is correct. In any event, the article
gives very instructive insight into prsssr.
French thought.
TO be continued tomorrow