New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-27
Gains at Arras Far Surpass
Those at the
Somme
Maurice Sums Up
Entente Losses Are Declared
Slight in Comparison with
German Casualties

London. April 90 General F. b..
Maurice. director OF British military
operations, summed up for The Tribune
to-day the first results Of the Battle
Of Arras
"In eighteen days we have taken
$4,000 prisoners and $50 heavy guns"
he said. an the corresponding period
Of the battle of the Somme we took
1900 prisoners and so guns. More
over. our casualties have been less than
half those Of the Somme and the
ground taken is very much greater.
Regarding the second phase Of the
battle. begun on Monday. it was pref
aced by a great air fight, which was
necessary 20 secure our definite SUI
premacy of the air. As a result Of tins
our airmen are able to give us abso-
lutelv accurate information concern
ing the German gun positions, carefully
concealed as they were. Artillery
battles and long range fighting depend
entirely nowadays upon air observa-
ton. The Germans conserved their
machines during the winter, conse-
quently We had to renew the great
serial battle in order to resume our
superioritv. Now the Germans are
losing about three and half times
as many planes as we are.
Attack Was Successful
The plain facts are that we deter.
mined TO attack over limited front
Of seven and half miles. The attack
was entirely successful; all our OBJ
jec;s were gained.
Then Hndenburg threw large re-
serves as we'll as divisions out Of the
line into the battle and fiercely counter
attacked all along the line. On both
tanks we beat eff the attacks. In the
centre the Germans temporarily sue
ceeded in regairing ground.
1--WE thereupon brought our own re-
serves into action and again dslodged
them. this time permanently. We are
now refortifyrg the ground taken.
These modern big battles are not con-
tinuous. Pauses for the sake of con-
solidating the ground, bringing up the
guns and registering new targets are
inevitable.
Owing 20 the reckless way the Ger
mans forced their troops, massed IN
thick formation, into the battle their
losses are terrifc-the heaviest sur
fered in the entire war. On the con-
trarv. ours were very light. The battle
proves two things--first, that owing to
the stream Of guns and shells ISSUING
from the British munitions factories our
artillery has absolutely swamped the
Germans. and, second that the British
soldier and the German soldier have
been engaged in a great battle of open
fighting wherein the latter always has
asserted his superiority and PROGRESSED
his willingness to be engaged AS
result of this the British Tommy has
beaten the German az every point
Grateful for L. 5. Help
Asked for his opinion regarding the
American forces which may be sent 10
France. General Maurice said:
81 cannot say anything, because TINS
Is entirely a matter for the President
80 decide. Maybe he is ready TO send
division Immediately and perhaps he
wants to wait to send force of about
10000 meanwhile keeping every com
peteut man at home for the purpose OF
training the rest. All can say is that
whatever help America SENDS we VIII
accept gratefully
Questioned as to the probability Of
A German attack on Italy and Russia,
ne replied:
THAT is always a possibility. ] pre-
sumo it VIII be settled on the Arras
battlefield. If we win, as we are sure
we will the enemy will not be able TO
carry out big assault on other
fronts "