The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1918-02-28
TEUTONs WHIPPED. sKAISE r.
. KNOWS 1T. SAYS EXPERT.


Every Effort to Force Decision
this Year-tO Grab Onens-
i've ut Jump, U-BOats
to Get NO Rest.
"The United States and the Allies
1918 ...said q military expert OF high
rank at Washington last week:
rev believe the central powers Will
permit the war to run through an
tother winter.
In my judgment there is not the
slightest chance taat the ne. G ei;99 ~
them particle OF good on the west
ern front. They may make some
gains before they are stopped at all
points, but if they gain anything OF
and hold it shall pc
very much surprised.
II seriously doubt that the Kaiser
|or Won Hindenburg believes the
statements recently credited to them
their abiding faith in
victory for the central powers. They
simply camouflaged their people and
their armies, just as they have many
times in the past.
"One OF my best friends .d am9aS9
that the Germans would pass their
point of highest efficiency on March
/ 1916. Few military men beliey-
ed the war could last as long as 1t
has. Some believe it will last Tor
years yet Personally, ! hardly see
how the German and AustrO- Hun.
garian people can hold out PACK OF
1.-THE harder the Germans hit the
Allied American line on the western
front the better we will like 1t. /
do not believe that Germany is one.
half as badly off for artillery ana
ammunition as some OF our mlltary
telling us. We should not bank for
a moment on a really weakened foe.
Our fight must be against M enemy
still strong and full of vigOr, and we
cannot count on any failure behind
the German lines once the spring
offensive work begins on any front;
It is up to us to Lick the KAISER.
German people break under the
strain it is not at all likely to come
in the immediate future.
"Nobody needs to fear that the
British, French. Italians and Amerl-
cans in immediate charge OF the
fighting forces are asleep. Exten-
sive preparations have b cen mace annm 70
He may start first at some points,
but We will be ahead of him at other
points, and my judgment is that the
first aim of our commanders VIII De
to grab the offensive from Won Hin
denburg at the jump.
There is only one way Dy Wnich
western front. That is by putting
their heads down, closing their eyes
80 to speak, and throwing every
ounce Of their force into a sustained
attack at one place. They have shown
no stomach for such work hereto
fore, and do not believe will adopt
such tactics this year, when h So m the;r
front against the Allies and Gen.
Pershing. oos
ask for nothing better than des-
perate attempt by the Germans to
break the line toward Paris, CALAIS
or any other objective. The Ger
mans would Se gain ennt n1th M Paris ga
they could get to Calais it, would be
worth a great sacrifice in men. My
Judgment is they have not a ghost
Of a chance to reach Calais at any
sacrifice. Nothing would suit the
Allies and Americans better than
such drive. IT would contribute
more toward fastening the end OF
the war than anything the Germans
ing 1t in an Allied victory.
7.There has been good deal of
talk lately regarding the early end
of the German submarine. i hope
this Is true, because 1t would simpli-
~ wonderfully the problem OF get
ting our men, equipment and sup
plies across. But we must not BANK
too much on winning the war imme-
diately after we remove all or most
<ooth frnvn Gorm ana Ct60r.
water fighters. Even granting that
the submarine is definitely out Of
the way, with German lines in
France and Flanders unbroken, our
job Will be far from finished.
I'VE have made progress toward
eliminating the submarine, said
make progress. But the way to beat
the submarine is to go after It,. We
have devised some effective methods
for fighting U-boats; probably $4,000
and suggestions have been
made. Most of them were OF no
practical value. The U-boats never
M be put out OF ahan19 Dy s d
been realized long before 1t. was.
Sooner or later a real attempt
must be made when U-boats issue
forth to destroy our men and ships.
Definite plans have been worked out
f0f, the prosecution of this character
Of warfare. But the people get tired
of hearing about plans to do things.
What they want to see Is definite
know many daring and
American naval officers who
would gladly assume any risk involve
ed In attempts to stop up the cracks.
We have sprung some surprises on
German U-bOats commanders and
are preparing to spring some more.
Regardless Of every device We
msy develop, the most telling blow
against the submarine still is shell
from q naval gun, depth charge or
! well-placed aerial bomb dropped
from 4 scaplane. In other words,
We must go after the U-boats II We
are to get them.