Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-07-15

iect or the allies is to go on fisntnS,
under the most advantageous condi-
tions possible. until the l44 German
divisions plus all the reserves and
units from other fronts that may he
brought up are so smashed that they
can no longer take the punishment
Then, and then only, will come the
break thru" so much talked about
but victory will not come this year;
II may not be possible at all without
the help OF the great American armies.
Gauge by Losses.
The great progress toward the final
goal that has been made during the
earlier stages of tho 1917 campaign
by tho French and British armies
must be measured not by liberated
towns. but by the losses suffered by
those IA German divisions. II is
possible TO give approximate figures
showing what the German soldiers
have had TO endure. and are endur-
ing this year.
When the campaign opened in
March the trench lines from Swift
| erland 10 the sea were manned by
about one hundred German divisions
while grouped In the rear as n strategic
reserve were A divisions which Hin
denhurg hoped to use in an offensive
which was to regain the initiative for
Germany after the March retreat had
disorganized the allied plans. The
pursuit was more rapid than the Ger
mans thought possible. the Britsn
! blow at the Vimy ridge came three
weeks before II was expected. and the
| old marshals plans were glimmering.
He had to stand and fight on the de
fensivc. abandoning his strategic
scheme.
Lack Old Strength.
The German divisions are now only
| three-quarters their former strength,
and consist as rule of nine battalions
instead OF twelve: which means s,0OU
bayonets to the division II each bat
talon is at full strength. but in prac-
tee not more than 1900 bayonets to
an average division.
In the first six weeks of full-dress
fighting this year. 92 German divi-
nions were sent in against the British
| In the Arras battles and against the
French on the Aisne and in Cham
payne. OF these divisions 27 We're so
shattered that they had to be with
drawn, and later appeared again their
! gaps refilled with reserves. Several
nave come back for the third time.
In six weeks, therefore, only AZ OF
the German divisions sarrisoning the
western front had not been dragged
into the great Suction actions" The
figures for the latest fighting are not
obtainable at present.
During the entire battle OF Somme,
which lasted four months 90 separate
German divisions were engaged. many
of them sent back for the second or
third time after being smashed up.
| All Divisions Suffer.
In six weeks of the more intense
oh nf ha
compelled to use practically the same
manpower to stand up against the
| British and French onslaughts as
| they poured into the whole Somme
ection from start to finish. No more
men than absolutely necessary are
sent into the Internal fire maintained
by the allied artillery. BY the figures
I have given arc to be calculated the
=, results of the first phase of this years
fighting, not by progress measured
on a map. Every division sent into
these battles suffers heavily under the
constant shelling to which II is suD-
I jccted from the time II enters the
zone OF long range fire miles behind
the tronch lines until what Is left OF
1t reaches safety again.
But does not this process of attri-
zion work both ways? Are not Brit
ish and French divisions drawn In the
same way under the shells OF concen-
trated German batteries? How can
We talk about success and ultimate
victory II both sides are bleeding to
death in this fashion?
In the answers to these questions
lies the real cause OF the optimism
at the front. Heavy as are the allied
lcsses. the attrition process Is nor OPP
Grating to the same extent on both
sides There are several factors al
| work this year that are weighing down
| the balance heavily against the Ger
| mans.
| Lead IN Air.
| First comes the allied superiority
In the air. This Is indisputable, and
manifest to the most casual observer.
| On clear days, I have seen dozens OF
British acroplanes buzzing over the
German lines: to catch sight of an
enemy plane on our side Is now an
event. and an exciting event. because
the vcnturesome intruder is sure TO
he fighting an angry swarm OF British
OF French wasps Sometimes the
| Germans send ssquadrons of highspeed d
scouts scuttlng along three miles In
the air. but at these great attitudes
| observation even with German lenses
Is not of the best. The only German
squadron I saw myself during several
days OF perfect observing weather was
engaged. at an enormous height, In n
struggle with five or six British
planes. There are hundreds of good
! German aeroplanes. with first class
pilots. but so relentless in the allied
aerial offensive that they are com
PEELED to remain behind their own
lines on an almost continuous de-
fensive. and II Is over German terri
tory under the protecting fire OF Ger
man arches that nineteen fights out
Of twenty now take place.
View Cut OFF.
The results of this situation would
be manifest in the casualty lists even
II the guns and shells on each SIDE
were equal. The Germans are COM
PEELED to "shoot off the map" where
they have not direct observation over
~ IA .G