New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-08
Armies Locked
In a Finish Fight
On West Front
Hindenburg Using Entire
Reserve to Prevent
Allied Success
CssuaIties10,0 1000 a Day
Enormous Accumulation of
Guns Killing Men at I'm
precedented Rate
Cssualties10,0 900 a Day
.Ty cable 90 The TrhuacI
By ARTHUR :. DRAPER

London. May 7. The struggle on the
Western front has reached a point OF
intensity in the last two days where
the attempt to chronicle incidents IS
a mere fatility.
His forces battered. torn, perhaps
bewIldered. Hindenburg is now throw
ing every man of his cherished
strategic reserve into the struggle,
hoping at all costs TO prevent turtncr
Allied victory. For the time beng ali
idea Of n movement or the capture OF
positions has faded on either SIDE.
Both forces are now locked fast ln q
fight 70 a finish and the victories are
not IN the amount Of ground gained
but i'm the men put out Of action.
The greatest accumulation OF guns
I'm the worlds history fires unceas-
ingly, killing men at an unprecedented
rate. and the infantry follows up ia
a manner reminiscent OF the bioodlest
battles Of medieval history.
German Offensive Must Wait
Whatever plans Hindenburg had for
an offensive against the British must
wait until he can reorganlze MS Dat
tered forces.
Since the first battle or Arras the
Allies have taken nearly 10000 pris-
oncrs in the west. Figuring on the
basis that the enemy suffered I'VE cas-
ualties for every prisoner there Is a
minimum Of 100000 German killed and
wounded last month, which gives a fau
idea OF the intensity and violence OF
the lighting az he two points Of attack
in France. Il is likely that the cas-
ualties run higher, but even these nS-
ures show an average Of lOOOO dalN.
If Russia is in a position TO hit late
this month, the blow VIII surely tell,
because the Allied offensive In the west
has drawn many Eastern divisions into
the battle. Italy, too, may spring a
surprise.
II would be foolish, however. TO be-
come too optimistic, for the present
battle is a costly business, not only TO
the enemy. but to the Alnes as wei,
and the pace is furiously hot. But the
highest authorities seem wonderfully
confident Of a favorable decision. Every
officer returning from the fighting area
says now that there is no question OF
the result Most Of them expect a de-
cision this year
Unity at Allies Conference
All reports from the Allies confer
ence at Paris hint at a decision regard
ing future military operations and the
conduct Of the offensive. There is nat
urally no indication of its nature, but
emphasis is laid on the unity existing
between the British and French high
commands.
Under the present arrangements Gen
oral Nivelle is now the executive o!iccI
TO Petain. With their acute sense of
everything Of a military nature, the
French people have been quick TO ana
I'VE the situation. After the first big
French attack the people at home be-
came critical, but the latest effort Of
their army has served to allay earlier
doubts.
An important factor authenticity
reported to-day is the growing failure
Of the German railroad service. Apart
from the lines worked to death in the
last two years, there is apparently a
general shortage of axle grease, which
IS disorganizing the entire system and
threatening complete stoppage in the
next few months, thereby disrupting
the whole German plan of army organi-
ZatlOn.