Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-01-17
"NEW STRATEGY"
WAR NEED OF 1918
Tactics Taught by First Three
Years of Conflict Already
Antiquated
BY GILBERT VIVIAN SELDES


ElfNWG JNbfC LruUTT
LONDON, Dec 20.
FTlIE new year begins with a new type Of
l. warfare for which the experience Of the
last three years is almost entirely unavail-
able. The tactics We have learned since the
battles OF the Marno will serve MS Stil for
some time for longer than We had hoped.
But the strategy Of tho last three years IS
made useless by tho ono dominant factor i'm
the departure of Russia from the open front.
People have said that the disappearance of
Russia could not matter much, because first,
under the old regime treachery was covert
and capable, whereas now there is no treach-
CRY, but open disafteCtion from our side and
that, second. even If the Russians chose TO
fight they had not the wherewithal in muui-
tioumcnt nor We the ability TO supply them
fully. Both these considerations are worthy,
but they miss tho essential, which is that,
even If tho whole Russian armies were with
drawn and only an electrified zone of barhed
wire were drawn on their frontier, Russia
would serve the Allies, Because since her
glorious days OF triumph at the beginning Of
the war; Russia has been chiefly a block
aiding Power
with the new year the blockade of Ger
many virtually ends, And the military STRAIT
egy which depended on the blockade also
ends. At least one assumes that It Will And
the political strategy which also depended
upon blockade must change well.
The blockade strategy I'm the field is easily
described. Until June, 1916 it was n waiting
game. At that time the power wave OF the
British army rose to its first crest and was
broken, not without advantage on the Somme
Thereafter the policy was to strike, If possi-
bic, with the cooperation of the French and
the other Allies at points of military value,
the object being to narrow the circle of Ger
man occupation until the enemy retrcated
TO his own frontiers. At the same time Il
dcnonstraton-it cannot be called more
was made toward the southeast and outlying
operations were carried on with signal sue
cess in Africa, Asia and Asia Minor.
Behind all Of these operations was the
trust IN the blockade. The steady weaken
ing Of resistance power was as much Of an
object in each attack as gain OF ground, Re
sstancc power depends on the number of
men and on the condition Of those men, and
the condition was being rapidly undermined
by the blockade. With Russia out Of the
struggle we have a reversal Of two factors:
Germany's numbers show an increase and
their condition an Improvement.
Changes in Strategy
The necessity of making war therefore
comes heavily down on Great Britain and
the United States. That the capacity OF the
empire has not yet been strained to the ut
most Is conceivably true; which Is not TO
say that Britain has shirlIed. ON the con-
trary, she has given eXtraYagantly the new
methods must be such as to make her give
economically as well as generously
operation. As for us, 1t Is useless for one
5000 miles away to say anything. Except
perhaps, to plead not for haste, but for
kindliness of spirit, to remember that crlti-
cism from this side may be tinged by that
war nervousness which you at home may
never experience.
The strategy must, however, change again
to a modification Of the waiting policy
Should Germany fail to put out Italy, her
venture there will prove the most disastrous
failure since the race for the channel ports
Because the expenditure Of men there win
make impossible any triumph on the western
front. Nor has Germany much to gain at
Salonlca She Is morally pinned 90 the vest
ern front II she cares to attack on our
part, we are compelled to save men. TO pre-
pare ourselves positions from which we can
not be disodged and over which the enemy
has no direct fire control. The temptation
to strike again next June will be enormous,
But II will be September until many
Americans are In France as Germans who
have been transferred from Russia (Aus-
| trian cooperation on the western front Is
| indicated freely so we may count the whole
| 1870 divisions from the eastern front and de-
duct only the unfit and the numbers lacking
TO make up full divisional strensth).
So II Mr.. Lloyd George Is right IN saying
! uat We must wait until the American ar