The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-02-04

~ ECENTLY a student Of the war showed me a map like the one presented
X here. TO stress the point that the allie, have gotten "ot of the mud in
L y their campaigns Of 1917 and hold such strong positions along a major
portion OF the French front that the problems Of a German attack are douOy
hard
The argumcr, he is in love with is that ali this advertising about the greatest
German drive OF the war IS camoulage and that the Germans are going to fight
a defensive war for an indefinite period OF years lie says Germany has edab-
.hshed her "MHuc Europa so why not try TO hold i?
Let me give you his argument in brei First there is the HprcS sector Ol
where the British have the high ground a, far IS Paschandacc and IN front Of
which the Germans have a flat PLAIN upon which to approach the positions
Going on down the map TO IN the Cambria salient, where the British have
reversed a position which stood to their disadvantage in 1915 1910 and the early
part t 1917 In the Laon area 90 the French have won Chcnn DIES Danes and
the Alcrc heights In the Champagne district CD high ground has been re-
Many observers have pointed out the various possibilities o. this front for
attack The majority find the region m front OF RcmS, the Champagne district
the least difficult ground on the map, and in which the enemy still holds many
advantageous positions
Germany has never shown any heSrany about tacklng what looks like a
difficult job The fact that the odds re against her make her reasons for a
great risk the more obvious Natural strength in a poshior is sometimes a
weakness Witness Vimy ridge considered an impegnabe baslon ot the HIM
dcnbug line And yet because the defenders thought Nimy so strong, and held
1t accordingly It SuCcumbed easily to the Canadians, while other Iesst favorable
stretches OF the front held up Hags men in the battle OF Auas,
Personally, do not think lIaigS hold on the pasChandacc ridge is as
strong as he would like to make IT, The Germans still occupy ground as high
on the Goudberg spur Unless the ridge is cleaned up by the British in the
early spring operations there is a possibility Of enemy ofhnsvs there.
find myself discussing possible points OF attack when the thing in mind was
a cincher argument against a German defensive campaign
Gemanys military training and tactics are not defensive The kaHers
troops must go forward or their morale goes downward.
Frank. SImonds struck the crN OF the situation IN the Ohahonan article
Sunday when he predicted Germany might even speed up her offensive in the
west to prevent Austria from quitting cold.
The only way the military party N Germany can keep N upper hand is by
going ahead demonstrating to the people that they are winning the war. They
can not do that by sitting down We know there is more unrest in Germany
than there has ever been We know Austria has accomplished her war aims,
that Russia, Serbia and Rumana can no longer harass her We know that
Austria wants to quit her ally if that ally persists in fighting for conquest The
only backire to the growing desperation Of the people Of Austria Hungary is
Germany may publicly joke about the ability o. the United State, a a war
power, but nevertheless, fndenhug knows the man reservoir OF this nation
States will have in action. The United States is the biggest argument against
the idea that Germany is padning a defensive war
Next in Importance is Austria, which hS. secured all the aid 1t needs from
Germany to save its national lie and now desires to throw its arrogant ally
overheard in order to ave a national existence for itself-W. M. II.