The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1918-11-15

6lnuenDurgS FORCES are reel1ng
backward, not because they are much
inferior in strength to the allied arm
les, but because Field Marshal Foch
and his lieutenants have developed
new tactics and the German makers
Of war have not worked out way
to counter them. For, placed as the
allies now are, with increasing num-
bers of Americans becoming available
daily for the fight. the problem is one
almost incapable of solution by the
Germans.
Seemingly, the Germans, IL Berlin's
war communiques may be taken as In
dicating their conclusions, have not
even grasped the significance Of
Foch's strategy, or If they have, the
war lords are keeping 1t very dark.
The official German communicates
speak of repeated failures Of the al
lies to effect "break through" just
as the Germans failed to club their
way through the French and British
lines In March, April, May, June and
July. That's where the Germans
MAKE their first mistake. The allies
are not trying to effect a "break
through Foch has not yet reached
that point in his offensive plan.
Foch's strategy is based upon a
"liquid' or shifting offensive, one
which IL started on comparatively
narrow front, designed to gain linn
tied detectives. If these are obtained
then the attack may be widened, and
when the Germans bring up reserves
the plan is to hit somewhere else.
Thus the whole German line Is kept in
constant state Of dread and anticipa-
ton, while unable to retrieve the Of
fensive so skillfully welded by Foch.
Hun Plan OF Attack.
Ludendorff's plan Of attack was
simply to break through the allied
line by sheer weight. He struck only
after weeks Of careful preparation, de-
voting. all his forces to the one sa-
lient attacked. AS his blows lost mo-
mentum and "petered out" he was
then compelled to start all over again
on some other sector. Each offensive
was separate enterprise. and when
he drained dry the possibilities Of
each, his strategic successes were un-
Important. He failed to accomplish
what he set out to do. Ludendorff's
blows were along the same lines of
every other big German movement,
such as brought successes against a
weaker force, as In Roumania, Serbia,
and at Caporetto. Ludendorff evident
ly paid no attention to what Foch
had in mind, for Ludendorff hoped for
O. crushing success, and with that tho
plans Of the enemy mattered little.
During all of the anxious months
OF the German drives, Foch was guild
ed by maxim laid down by himself
when instructor at the French Staff
college, which held:
Economic forces while keeping
the combat nourished. right up to the
moment when we shall pass from such
a preparation to the main attack"
That principle has been Foch's guild
Ing star. Foch economical forces
when the enemy wasted his in abor-
tive attempts to break through. Foch
yielded ground, when he could with
out endangering his strategic position,
rather than waste men. He was saw
ing his resources for the time when
the Germans had welded their club
so vigorously that exhaustion of Ger
man reserves took away the terror
of the club.
Continued Hammering.
That principle is at the basis of all
the allies have done since July IS,
when the Franco-Americans started
their counter-offensive which drove
the Germans back to the Vesle. The
second battle of the Marine had no
more than ended when the third bat
tie Of the Somme began, with Haigs
attack on the Amiens front. While
German reserve divisions were thrown
In to halt this drive, Mangin struck
on the Aisne front and this battle had
no more than thrown greater conster~
nation and confusion in the German
command than Byng's blow was de-
livered on the Ancre. Foch was work.
Ing out his principle Of "liquid Of
fensive," keeping the "battle nourish-
ed" and working toward the moment
when the allies shall pass from prep
aration to the main attack"
Before the main attack Is delivered
the allies must be much stronger than
they now are. In consequence of con-
tinued hammering the Germans also
will be very much weaker. The main
attack will not be struck until there
is every reason to believe that It will
win and shutter the German army.
Thus the present fighting resembles
in great measure a dueling match, ex-
cept that the allies have a comman-
der In chief who knows how to WELD
o sword, how to parry and thrust :,
while the opponent is only versed in
the art of welding club 1t Is be-
cause the opponent is still strong
that tho thrust cannot yet be made
which will lose him the combat.
All of the allied blows since the
second battle of the Marine have been
<lolivarod M tho oirtset from mar