Evening star., 1918-08-25
SERIES OF STEPS MOST LIKELY
IN WORK OF BEATING THE HUNS
First May Retreat Hndenbure Lne-Next Year
Allies May Push Into Germany by Successfully Defeating
Enemy in Numerous Battles in War Of Positions"
Lesson From Civil War-Must Save Man Power

tack there and can concentrate men
and guns on my TANKS and break the
attacks of the fve."
This was exactly what happened.
The retreat to the Hindenburg line
ended the fighting between ArFas and
the scissors region for the year. Haig
made brief effort in front of Arras,
which coincided with Nivelle's Aisne
wrecked because the Germans were
able to concentrate men ana guns on
this flank. A similar fate overlook
Haig's main offensive OF the summer
and autumn in Flanders for the same
reasons. Meantime Hindenbprg dis
posed of his eastern difficulties for
the time being and was prepared to
resume the western battle this spring.
Will Ludendorf Retreate
Now, it must be clear that Luden-
derff can, IL he chooses, initiate the
Hindenburgian strategy. He can retire
to the Hindenburg line, and any seri-
GUS attack upon it this year will be
out of the question, because 1t VIII be
impossible for the allies to construct
railroads and highways across the
Picardy desert in time for any seri-
Gus attack before the end of the cam
paigning season. They will be left
with the alternative of attacking in
Flanders and in Champagne, but the
Germans will be able once more to
concentrate ali tnelT TeStfNcS Oh liSii
banks and, by reason of their early
gains this year, their positions on both
in 1917.
1t is clear that il Ludendorff decides
to retreat he abandons the offensive
for the campaign and for the war.
Unlike Hindenburg in 1917. he can
have no hope of renewing the attack
after a delay. There will be no new
accession Of troops for the west such
the PnllanSa nf RUSSIA nr0vided.
Once on the defensive the Germans
can have no other chance of winning
the war than long, costly and ter
ribly burdensome defensive. But it
must be already plain that this Is
about all that is left for them in any
case, and that they may imperil the
chances of defensive warfare IL they
stay too long in positions which are
for an attack which they can no
longer expect to make.
4 German retreat. then, will be de-
liberate refusal of battle, a formal and
unmistakable resignation of the often
sive. a return to Hindenburg's strategy
of 1917, with the realization that it is a
retreat without hope of a later return
to the offensive. The German will aban-
don strategy which is based upon an
effort to obtain decision by one terrific
campaign in favor of a strategy which
seeks to avoid defeat by prolonging the
war until exhaustion compels all Of the
combatants to stop, and William ii, like
Louis XIV. will be left in possession of
certain conquered provinces OF his foes.
In the spring the German undertook
to obtain an unlimited victory. a German
peace on all fronts. with the domination
Of Europe as the natural consequence OF
the victory he sought. That victory has
escaped him. He has used up his human
material, and both in numbers and in
quality of troops the advantage is pos
Sessed by his foe at the present moment
and will rapidly increase. But he can.
by retirement which will not surren-
der territory of any importance, avoid
possible disaster this year. staye off the
full development of Fech's offensive
until next year and employ the time
gained in endeavoring to win the war
by a peace offensive which will leave
him some profit.