The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-07-14
FRENCH MAY BEAR
NEW GERMAN BLOW
Experts Believe That Next OF.
fensive VIII Have Chalons
as Objective.
MEN BEING REHEARSED
Tanks Likely to Play an I'm
pOrtant Part, in Which Al
lies Have Advantage.
Special Cable Despatch to THE srs
Copyright. 1913: oil rights reserved

Copyright. 1918: oil rights reserved
LONDON, July ia statement hy
Field Marshal Won Hindenburs In a let.
ter to leader OF the Pan-Germanlsts
that he needs time TO prepare an attack
comedies. the correspondent of THE SuN
learns with the opinion held in we'll in
formed military circles here as TO the
reason for the delay In the German OF.
fensive.
1t In said the Germans are rehearsln,
their new drive on a scale never prevl.
ously attempted. The March offensive
had boon we'll ref es~sed In parts; It IL
probably true that it worked out &c.
cording to or beyond the plan at IN.
southern end, but the difficulties tina,
developed after the third day were M,
solved in that or in any otl err Of their
efforts.
II the Germans intend to make m.
next their eliminating effort the risk NJ
a week or two OF delay cannot matter
much. because II they do not win
through they are defeated, and nothing
but winning matters. The belief Of
French experts is that the main attack
Is to be on the French front, probably
toward Chaions; this agrees with ex-
pectations here
storm Troops Affect Morale.
AZ the same time IL should be noted
that there ia a body Of military opinion
here that does not now believe that the
Germans intend an offensive on a grand
scale. despite the appointment OF Ad.
miral Won Hintse as Foreign Minister.
which seems to mean that the military
party is now in complete control and
s1ust Justify itself by a military victory.
On the same authority II Ia said that
II the Germans should resume their ef-
forts after a pause In which the storm
troops would get good rest and would
be trained anew, and the heavy artillery
would be reorganized and strengthened,
this probably would settle two extremely
interesting military questions. The list
is whether the German plan or sub
dividing Its army into storm troops and
holding troops has been success aud
whether the German army still is capa-
bic Of such efforts as 1t made in March
and April.
In the creation OF the system Of storm
troops the Germans have introduced an
unhomcceneous element into their army.
These selected troops are better taken
care Of are fed and clothed more hounti-
fully and form a sort OF aris,ocracy
which is resented by other units and the
morale of the army has been affected
badly. as has been shown on numerous
occasions when positions taken by storm
troops ana turned over by them to hold
ing units have been lost almost imme-
diately.
. Tanks Take New Importance.
The second question is as to the use
of tanks. The new French moSqui',
tanks are very mobile and have q large
rl Of
tanks. which are also able to leave ne
| osds and traverse the country arc, e.
cording to the same authority. going 10
play an important part in the fighting
These light tanks are nothing irore
or less than mobile masses of machine
guns in clusters. able to go anywhere ~
the battle fields, while the German
tanks are heavy and cumbersome. al
though carrying larger guns, AMI a'e
restricted to their usefulness by being
compelled TO keep on the roads.
The military commentator OF the Mar
chester Guardian says:
The resignation of Foreign Minister
won kuehlmann means that Gen. Luden-
dorm and Field Marshal Won linden.
burg are not in accord and that for the
present Ludendorff has had his way.
Won Kuehlmann would not have made
his celebrated statement on the ineffrc-
tiveness of a military victory unless hs
had thought he had sufficient backing 10
protect him from the wrath of luden.
dorff. for the conception of the sprrz
offensive was Ludendorfrs. no one else's.
and he obtained his way in the German
councils by promising to do what he has
not done: viz, to break through
What has happened Is that those WHO
encouraged Won kuehlmann to say VII.
he thought-perhaps 1t was Hndcrhu'E
perhaps the Kaiser himself 90.
protected him against the wrath e TIE.
Junkers. who, therefore. have trum-r.'
and Germany still is committed To- ,n.
pure gospel of military victory.
THE junkers always have been tne
least dangerous enemies of this countf'
They made certain that We should cone
In; they have dug the grave Of the
Eastern ambitions in Russia: they ha
accomplished the miracle OF reoour.'n.,
this country and America, inconparrh'.
the greatest political result that his Ns.
has brought about. Perhaps II is 600.
too much to say that they have defeated
their own country twice over IN f.s
war"