Bisbee daily review., 1918-04-17
Tt Is Ha-d to COnceiUe"

able to withstand the heavy ShOCkS, eSpecldlIy in view of the fact that the Germans contln- ually kept bringing new troops into action. Thus read part of cable dispatch Monday night in description of the fighting in the northern sectors along the Lys river where the Germans have driven a dangerous salient deep into the British lines. It is harder still to conceive WHY the British lines should be so weak here in numbers and WHY THE BRITISH DO NOT BRING FRESH TROOPS INTO ACTION For seven or eight days this attack has been under way. It has long been developed as major action. The danger point was reached Friday, and yet Monday night weak force" were de- lending these vital points And, worst news of all, yesterdays dispatches tell of the fall of BailIeul, vital railroad junction point fol the allies.
 Allied strategy since March q has indeed been hard to conceive. It IS expected that the defenders will be outnumbered the first few days of great offensive, and have to give ground and lose prisoners and guns. It IS also generally understood that if the attacking armies are willing to pay enough for it, they can gain much ground and force strong posi- tions But why the defenders of these all inn portant positions should have to fight alone for eight days and be driven back by contin- ual fresh divisions of their foes Is hard to un- derstand Have we no reserves in Flanders? Are we outnumbered hopelessly all along the line? Germany at most has only three mill ion men available for the west front. accord ing to last authentic estimates. The French alone have three million men on this front, and the British have certainly two million
 AI .o 4I> Inv these thin lines cannot be reinforced?
 Of course a layman five thousand miles away knows nothing of Flanders battle con ditions or underlying reasons of allied strate- gy. And, besides, this column has already pinned its faith to Gen. Foch. But the loss of Bailleul Is hard to bear. The continued success of the last German thrust to the north ward Is hard to understand. From every point comes the same word Weak British forces holding the lines; no endorsements. And, German masses and waves; continually fresh divisions brought up.
 Descriptions of the fighting everywhere give the idea that the allies are outnumbered about four to one. Neuve Eglise was defend ed all day Sunday by hollow square of British infantry. The Germans were beaten back by these heroes seven times. BUT, the German command brought up heavy reserves and took the village. The defenders fought alone Are there no British reserves? Sure ly there will never be time and place where they will be needed worse than they were for this immortal spot which had changed hands seven times and was bathed in blood
 Again dispatch reads The Germans had seventeen divisions here with six more in reserve. They advanced against weak British forces" It would seem as though Germany had ten millions of men on this front and that she made men by the million over night.
 Lloyd George declared in his last great speech that at the beginning of 1917 the allies outnumbered the Germans in the west three to two And that while the Germans brought great reserves from Russia during the year, the allies also greatly increased their armies. So that the spring of this year should have found the contending forces about equal on this front
 Over half of the German reserves have been destroyed, but she is using the other half with the same reckless prodigality that characterized the beginning of the onslaught. Nowhere has there been word of British re- serves being brought up. The French brought up reserves before Amiens and halted the fixn in his tracks and has held him there for two weeks But the British
 But patience Surely a great counter at tack is being planned and prepared. It IS ab- solutely certain that Gen. Foch has at least a million men available as reserves who have not yet been brought into the fighting this spring at all How long he will wait to strike, no cne knows. Allied strategy IS vastly diff