The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1917-12-29

4.
went glimmering. He had 10 Slih'
and fight on the defensive, abandoning Il
his strategic scheme.
The German divisions are now ohIS
three quarter, tncir former strength :,
and consist az a rule Of nine battailohS ;
instead of twelve; which means 9''"o !
hayaurt+ 10 the division if each pat
TALON is at full strength, but III pTa'-
tjcp not more than 1000 bayonets 70
an average division.
German Divisions Shattered.
In six weeks OF fuIl-dresS fighting
this wear, 81 German divisions were
>uut in against the British in the Ar
ras battles and against the French ON
The Aisnn and in Champagne or these
divisions ~ We're so shattered lh"'
they had to be withdrawn, and lA'cr
appeared again. their gaps rehlIen
with reserves. Several came back ZOE
the third time. In six weeks 1h're-
fore. ONLY a Of the German divisions
garrisoning the western front had not
been dragged into the great suction
actions" Figures on the latest fighting
are not Obtainable.
During the entire battle OF the
Somme, which lasted four months ~
separate German divisions were Ell
| gagged, many of them sent back Tor tile
second or third time after being |
smashed up.
In six weeks Of the more intense
fighting of 1917, the Germans were
compelled to use practically the same
man-power to stand up against inc
british and French onslaughts as they
nnurpd into the whole Somme acton
from start to finish. No more men
than absolutely necessary are sent IN
to the Internal fire maintained by the
allied artillery. BY the figures L nave
given are to be calculated the reSuitH
Of the first phase of this years hight
ING. not by progress measured on
map. Every division sent into THESE
battles suffers heavily under the con-
slant Smelling to which it is subjected
from the time it enters the zone OF
long range fire miles behind the trench
, lines until what is left OF 1t reaches
safety again.
But does not this process OF attrl-
ton work both ways? Are not BRUSH
and French divisions drawn IN the
same wav under the shells OF con-
: contracted German batteries? How can
7 we talk about success ana ul'lihaie
I victory if both sides are bleeding 10
e death in this fashion?
r Balance Heavily Against Germans
i In the answers to these questions
lies the real cause Of the optimism al
the front. Heavy as are the allleo
e losses, the attrition process Is not op
8 erating to the same extent on po'i
l. sides, There are several factors a
r work this wear that are weighing dowl
It the balance heavily against the Ger
n mans.
# First comes the allied superiority II
r tho mir. This is indisputable, ana man
II ;fast to the most casual observer. VI
N claor days. have seen dozens of Bril-
n. iSh airplanes buZZiEg over the Hef1'i''
IL lines: to catch sight of an eneEly pau
d on orr side is now an event, anu !"
10 exciting event, because the venture
IS sona intruder is sure to he lighting Il
,nrrv swarm of British or frcnc
u wasDS. Sometimes the Germans s'iN
w. ecuodrons of high-Speed scouts sou
oil fling along three miles in the air, hr
~ o+ those great attitudes Observable
>. even with German lenses is not OF III
cd host. The only German squadron
re- saw myself during several days CT pc
of foot observing weather was engage
m at an enormous height, in a struSs
or with five or six British planes. Ihei
m. ORC hundreds Of good German al
nIones. with first class pilots, but
no relentless Is the allied aerial offehsi'
og. that they are compelled to remain
nv hind their own lines on an almost co
yn tinuous defensive. and 1t Is over Ge
ot man territory under the protecting II
,,Is 30 German arches that 10 fights out
in 20 now take place.
ere Must "Shoot of the Map"
en-, The results of this situation "ou
i'm no manifest in the casualty lists ev
{ a IL the guns and shells on each 81
1t wore equal. The Germans are co
ter nalled TO "shoot off the map VINE
of they have not direct observation o'
ide the enemy lines from some hign
do grounds: that is their gunners M
hat fire Mt roads whose ranges can De
culated or at places where they me
" guess allied guns are placed, IN
.oc- absence of air photography TO sh
een them what to shoot at, or OF 'spottl
is nlones over the enemy positions
The wireless the results of their mar
her manship. BY taking the Nimy tit
ON. and the commanding height at Mono
nan the British early in the Arras hght
9 Is deprived the Germans of direct
nd seryation over their communicate
mil and were able to watch miles OF
the German lines; an instance OF the
onts value of winning ground. not as
osb- end in itself, but merely as one
tho number Of factors which help to z
will advantage In observation. A moo
,rcb General. asked whether he would
ome fer to carry hill before him or 10
T all tain his airplane superiority, would
icon most invariably choose the latter.
Far more enviable Is the lot or
final British and French gunners. III
% I. VI Of