South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-04-02
Most Cole SIS a Blow of
Big War Has Been Parried

ttltlF El-dntlt OUtD-iNe Nohtu DO
halted between the Avrc and the
Ancre i'm front OF Amicns and on
the western edge of the battle
field of 1916. they would not have
launched the blow. The French
experience at the Aisnc last year
demonstrated that no war weary
public, and all European publics
are war weary. will patiently en-.
dure n terrible blood letting for
local gains or tactifuI advan-
tagcs. When IL became clear that
Niyellc was not going 10 turn the
Germans out OF France the bat
tie of the Aisne had To be aban-
dOned and Niycllc was removed.
The experience of the British i'm
Flanders last year was about the
same.
PasschandacIc and Messincs
were not accepted by the British
public "a sufficient rewards for
half n million casualties and the
British high command was com
PEELED to surrender all thought
of new offensive i'm 1918.
The allies have 80 far won a
measure of success because they
have lived. They have succeed
cd. so far as they have succeed
cd because they have halted the
greatest blow OF the war with
i'm exceedingly restricted limits
and without disprOpOrtiOnate
loss tO themselves. They had To
fight. They were attacked and
the British and French govern
ments will have To make no ex-
PLANTATION OF the butchers bill to
peoples who understand that IL
the Germans had not been stop
ped the war would have been
lost. But the German high
command will have to explain
why, although il expended 800. 900
Germans. IL failed TO destroy
British military power or con-
quer peace. This il the real meas
urc OF the result OF tho second.
battle Of the SOmmc up To April
Ist and this il why I say IL is a
colossal malquct." a repetition
of the victory which cost the sue
cessful general his command and
persuaded the victorious nation
TO make a peace which was any
thing but a conqucrors settle
mcnt.
One word rs To the present bat
tlefeld situation. The Germans
are i'm a difficult position even if
there be no immediate allied
counter offensive. They have
thrust between two strong allied
positions and neither of their
TANKS is securely fixed. To es-
cape n far less awkward pOstare
they retreated from tho Somme
just year ago. Then their re-
treat was FASTENED by the fact
that the British and French were
prepared to- attack. Now tho
British and French may not he
ready TO attack at once! although
the time may not he long de-
layed. Probably the Germans will
have to stay where he is as long
as he can to avoid the moral eff
feet at home of retreat TO safer
and more easily defensible posi-
tions, such as the Bapaume.
RepOnae Neslc, or Chauny line
would provide. but I'm doing this
he runs obvious military risks to
avoid MOI less unmistakabl BILE
moral hazards.
In sum the second battle of
the Somme seems now To have
been another great battle of ar
rest. resembling the Marine. ChaI-
mons and POiticrd were similar
battles, i'm every case a huge host
was checked at moment when
success. the success it was SEEM
ing, would have destroyed the
foundations of western ciViliza-
ton. And even if the second
Somme does not end as did the
Marine i'm an incOntestabIe mill
itary victory for the allies. dem
Onstrated. by German retreat
il will. if its present outcome be
not reversed. count supreme
German defeat, since il was de
structiVe of all the purposes for
which the Germans risked ALL
He left his trenches on March
3lst To impose a German peace
upon the world with his Good
German sword" On April 1, he is
digging into new trenches on the
old SOmme battlefield with neith-
err victory or peace" or any
peace in sight.
But il il far too soon to regard
the battle rs ended. Either the
Germans will renew his attack
on the present operative front as
he did at Nerdun. after the first
pause. or he will strike else
where probably i'm Champagne