The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-09-26

ii
TO call attention to the fact that al
the present time the main work is be.
ing done by the British. In the Marne
operation and In all the first cam.
paisn OF the war the British share was
small. useful as 1t was. and magnifi-
cent as was the British stand at Ypres
A year later the new British army JUS,
coming on was still incapable of a
mighty effort and the French. first in
the offensive in Champagne and then
In the desperate defensive at verdun
were compelled to carry on. only in
part aided by the British.
At the somme the proportions be-
gan to change. but even at the Sommt
IL was the French that made the frs
considerable gain, and all through this
battle the French part was material
while the defense Of verdun had still
to be maintained. But with the Battle
Of Arras In April OF this year, the
British practically took over the main
task Of the western offensive. The
British task was materially increased
when the French attack at the Aisnc
failed to make decisive progress and
incurred enormous casualties.
Today the British are doing tn
main Job on the West. It is no re-
proach upon the French that this is
30. as the French have certainly done
their share and more than their share.
Yet It is only just to the British to
recognize that they are making the
big sacrihce now after delays that
were long. but were inevitable. given
British unpreparedness. and are be-
coming more COMPREHENSIVE to the
American people now that we arc
struggling with the problem that
confronted Britain three years ago.
The British have arrived and it is the
British armies that are delivering the
heavy blows.
The measure Of the British effort /.
not the Respective fronts held by Brit.
lab and French armies. but the
amount Of action on the two fronts
Already we have seen this year three
considerable British attacks-the Ar
ras battle. which was the most sue
cessful in size and ground gained of
any western attack. one Of the most
successful in artillery captured in the
history Of the war. the retaking of the
Messipes Ridge. and now the new Of
fensive In the Ypres sector. With those
three. one should perhaps class the
Hill 20 exploit Of the Canadians.
which was brilliant and Of permanent
value.
II anyone ever doubted that the
British would arrive. these doubts
have been answered. Britain Is now
paying the price that France paid
over two bloody years. Her artillery
has seized and maintained the mas
'sry over the German. Slowly. stead
'ly, surely the British are breaking
down the material and the moral re-
sources Of Germany. Because the
Russians collapsed the chance Of q
dscision this year has been banished.
but the British strategy Is that OF
Grant. u that of wearing down. anu
there are unmistakable signs that the
Germans are beginning to weaken. al
though their resistance must still
command admiration.
The new British campaign seems
certain to be one Of the great cam
paigns Of the war. 1t already shows
greater power than that at the Somme
and It Ia not marred by the early
blunders Of that former battle. The
Somme show" az the British call 1t.
Was the training school Of the new
British army. II was expensive. 1t was
bloody. II was protracted. but the re-
suits were visible at the end; they
were discoverable In the Beaumont
Hamel victory last autumn and in the
'Arras offensive this year. Today the
British army Ia Enthusiastically the
finest army In the world. All the 9th.
or nations suffer from the loss of the
younger and physically filter men,
The British have still considerable
share Of their youth left and the flow
or Of the manhood Of Great Britain
and the Colonies is now suffering and
achieving as did the flower of the
French at the Marne and at verdun.
Today the British have taken over
the main task from the Erench. thav