The sun., 1918-05-23
GERMAN DELAY
LAID IN LONDON
TO AERO RAIDS
Efforts for Combined At
tack in France and Italy
Also Given as Cause.
HINDENBURG Is CAUTIOUS
Believed to BE Assembling All
Resources in Plan to
Gain Decision.
HINDENBURG Is CAUTIOUS
Special Cable Despdfch to THs srs.
CoovrinAt 1Nfa. all Sj0Afs g$a<SvpA

Copyright 1918: oil riohs reserred.
LONDON. May 22.-The delay in the
resumption Of the German offensive 10
to be attributed to the intention OF the
German high command to make the most
thorough preparations before launching
a supreme effort we'll posted ofioer
told the correspondent Of THE Sun to-
day.
In this stupe ndous undertaking that IL
planned the Germans have been ham,
pered by the activity of the Allies air
forces. which have dropped thousands OF
tons OF bombs on the German ammuni-
tion dumps. botnbarded strategic rail.
road connections. attacked centres OF
communication behind the lines--abovs
all by the superi iority OF the Allies In air
fighting. which. Field Marshal Haig an
nounces to-day. has resulted In the de-
struction or driving down out OF control
Of 1000 German airplancs since the Of
fensive began.
The element Of surprise. which was all
to the advantage Of the Germans In
March. can no longer he counted upon
by them, as despite the German efforts
the Allies observations and raids on va
rious sectors OF the front have been uni
formly successful In observing their
movements and obtaining knowledge OF
their concentrations
German Press BewiIdered.
Tho German newspapers show signs Of
bewilderrent. amounting almost to ivri-
tation. over the prolonged delay In re-
sun,ing the attack. in analysing the
reasons that probably are responsible
for tho German inaction one military
commentator says:
we must assume that the General
STAFF wishes i for some weghty reason :
the signal for attack will not be post
poned for an hour longer than il neces.
sary. One conjecture Is that a desire to
make the German offensive In the west
and an Austrian offensive in Italy coin
eide has led to the former being held up
until the snow disappears from the Al
pine passes.
There H. perhaps more to he said for
this vicw than for the rival theory that
| Austrian reserves are being transferred
! bodily TO the west to lend still greater
weight to the coming hammer stroke
| but II Is not really necessary to 20 &C
far afield for a possible explanation OF
why Field Marshal von Hindenburg Is
letting such fine fighting weather sltl
past unused no has to produce some
thing that will lick creation. II it is &c
be of any service at all. and that Is no
accomplished in hurry.
Concern over Resources.
From The effort that began tw'
months ago Germany has derived yer!
modest gains in exchange for a stagger
ing casualty list II is reasonable Il
assume that Won HindenburE has bee,
trying to make sure OF the sufficiency o
his resources and the perfection Of hi
plans.
THE days which he cannot AFFORD 4
waste have been filled by bringing VI
troops. guns. ammunition and storc
upon a scale calculated to make victor.
secure. but our airmen have been assidu
Gus in their attentions to his depots an
railways and undoubtedly have tie
many an awkward knot in the Germal
system OF supply and transportation
THE great assault may begin at an,
moment Germany's only policy. wit
the accommodating strength OF Americ
before here, is a Anal, frenzied effort t
snatch victory while there is still
chance. The onslaught IN March wa
colossal, but as the event proved no
colossal enough, while sufficiently for
midable at all points. Probably tn
Germans will launch on one particular
sector a stupendois force in the hope @
! anoc,in, a breach through which tn