New-York tribune., 1918-03-26
No Cause for
Alarm,Viewiin in
w ashington
Major General March Says
Public May Place Con-
fldence in Haig
By c. w. Gilbert

WASHINGTON, March 25.-Cheer.
1ulness prevailed here to-day over the
1 indications that the first wave of the
German offensive had spent it's force
General March said that the War De-
partment saw no cause for alarm in
the military situation. The British, he
said, according to Haig, had fallen
back to positions prepared long in ad-
vance.
The Allied embassies and missions
had information bearing out the press
reports that the British line was hold
ing and that the German effort was
growing weaker as it advanced. An
other source of satisfaction to the
Sllles here lay in reports they were
receiving of the tremendous losses of
the Germans. The drive is proving
vastly more costly than any other in
the history of the war.
About the final outcome there cannot
be the slightest doubt, and no one here,
either in the Administration or among
the representatives of the Allied
powers, entertains the slightest doubt.
The best opinion is that the offensive
will go on. If it stops where it is it
Will not De the stupe"dous effort that
Germany promised. 1t will, indeed, be
IN no way comparable in intensity and
persistence with the attack upon Yer
dun, Germany's last great offensive,
Hindenburg Expected
10 Strike Again
Hlndenbure is expected to strike
again, and strike hard. wherever, as a
result of the changes that have taken
place, the most promising opportunity
presents itself for the next thrust.
The blow, when it comes, may succeed
III throwing the British back again.
either in another part Of the line or
where they have already yielded most
ground. A modern offensive is abso-
lutely irresistible for a certain dis
tance, and Germany's capacity to strike
powerful blows has not been ex-
hausted
Inc public may expect to hear of
itfthcr German successes, repeated at
intervals, Tor some time, until the Ger
man army becomes Wearied and the
felatlVc positions of the two foes are so
altered that the British have the ad-
vantage of position and cannot readily
be dislodged
In the region where the German sue
cess has been greatest the advantage
OF position has been with the enemy
Iilndenburg fell back year ago under
pressure from the Allies to selected
ana easily defensible ground. The AL
ies advanced, not into territory which
!hey would have chosen to defend, but
into territory which the fortunes of
war left them to defend. And in re-
treating the Germans made the land
as little defensible as they could.
British Defended
Difficult Position
The territory which the British could
not hold was territory which wear
ago the Germans could not hold. Par
tlcularly is this true around Cambrai
Where miles Of terrain changed hands
twice last November in the course Of a
few days: This is the third time it has
changed hands. The Germans undoubt-
edly chose their point for attack with
this in view. The maximum of result
could be most readily shown.
Experts here say that the British
could be thrown back twice as far as
they have been and still it would make
no difference in the final outcome of
the war. Only, if the German armv
could break through and get upon the
flanks Of the British and force open
fighting would any considerable change
be accomplished by Hindenburg's pres
ent tactics. And even then there would
still be the British and French armies
to surround and destroy before a mil
itary decision would be reached.
IL the present offensive, being re-
newcd successfully on grand scale.
should achieve what may be conceived
to be it's utmost objective, break
down Of the Allied defence. n resump-
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