Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-06-04

en- up by the Germans voluntarily last
year. Ar1iens and Ypres have been
held against the Germans; Scissors
has fallen but the crown prince has
not been able to advance beyond that
city to any considerable distance.
Rheims may be given up by the allies
in preference to spending many lives
in defense of it's ruins, but its capture
would be more OF sentimental vic
tory for the Germans than q military
one.
When the allies accepted the defen.
sive role at the opening Of the 1918
campaign they accepted tho certainty
Of losing some ground. They chose
that loss in preference to an expendi.
ture of men in an offensive move
which would have been dangerous in
view Of the preponderance Of German
man power on the western front. The
Germans were forced to attack to hold
the numerical advantage which Rus
sia's collapse had given them, and
they cannot claim victory, no matter
what their local gains may total, I'M
less they reach the North sea or cap
ture Amiens with its radiating rail.
road lines.
The real value Of the German adj
vance or the allies loss cannot be
computed in square miles Of terrain.
Both must be measured by'a compar-
ison of the expenditures Of man power
and guns. particularly man power.
When the first stage Of the German
offensive was ended. with the defeat
Of the Germans on the hills below
Ypres, the allies were able to cast up
accounts and consider themselves the
victors despite their heavy losses. For
the Germans had lost hundreds OF
thousands Of fighting men-4OO. 900, 1t
is said-while their adversaries had
suffered less in that respect and had
been able to hold their line intact.
Meanwhile, American achievements
had arrived in France, along with
fresh British troops from England, and
more Frenchmen had been taken into
the armies Of General Petain.
One of the biggest things the allies
did while the first stage Of the enc
my's drive was in progress was to-
unite the armies Of the various nations
under the leadership of one man.
It would have been miracle II the
new battle, occurring as 1t did In
place where the allies least expected
the enemy to strike, had not resulted
in some gain for the attacking forces.
If, as seems probable now, the allies
have brought up sufficient reinforce
ments to offer formidable resistance.
it will be possible for General Foch to
pick the best locations for making
stand. Then, If the history OF the
first stage is repeated the allies Will
be able to punish the enemy in his
future assaults and eventually to force
him to desist III his effort to reach
Paris. i
Whatever may be the outcome OF
the present struggle, America must be
the reservoir for reinforcements, not
only of fighting men but Of morale,
fighting spirit, determination, courage
and LOYALTY to the cause for which our
armies and those Of our allies are
hghting SO Taliantly against great
odds.
squarely ana realizing that the situa-
tion Is critical and deadly serious:
But It Is time. too. for renewal OF
the determination to see It through
Americas program has been speeded
up wonderfully; 1t must be pushed
along more; the recruits who are leav-
ing our shores Sc rapidly must carry
the assurance that back here at home
a unified public is building ships: saw
ing food, furnishing money and re-
doubling its enthusiasm and interest
in the war. on which depends the fu-
ture Of civilization.
Reverses must be accepted as a por-
zion Of the defensive program which
was accepted by the allies because 1t
Is safer than an offensive against an
army Of overwhelming strength. But
reverses must not be permitted to dis.
courage Americans, on whom not only
the men Of Pershing's gallant armies
but the peoples OF the allied countries
depend for inspiration, encouragement
and an example Of unfailing, undis.
mayed loyalty.
Every day brings che numerical
strength Of the opposing forces nearer
to an equality. The allies gain fresh
men as the Germans lose their veter.
ans. Americas resources, speed. and
determination must reward the endur.
ance Of the allies by proving superior
to Germany's reserve fighting