Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-25
Absence of Pessimism Evident
at the White House and
War Department.
ARMY MEN NOW BELIEVE
APEX HAS BEEN REACHED
Mi1itarists Fail to See Advantage to
Germany in Effort Unless Il s to
Boost Morale Of Enemy Troops.

Absence of pessimism was evident 10
| day at the White House and War De
partment about the outcome Of Ger.
many's massed drive.
Intense interest in press reports dis
played by President Wilson himself IN
dicated that official information VA
meager. The Associated Press dis
patches were transmitted to him lasi
evening.
| Army officers do not share the
anxiety of some civilians about the
outcome Of the drive. One who Is in
closest touch with the meager ON
cial reports as well as news dispatches
pointed out today that there Ii every
reason to believe the ermans havGe
penetrated as far as they arc likely
to and that they are not as near Paris
as they were in 1914.
Either side could do what the Ger
mans have done, one officer explained.
! if it were willing to pay the price.
The British were more successful in
their Cambria offensive, and the French
sought the same sort of effect in April
of last year in the Champagne drive,
though they did not pursue that effort
long. because 1t was soon seen that
the losses would be too great
The theory of the German offensive, ii
was explained. develops nothing new.
I in that it simply masses troops against
one portion of line which the defense
must maintain along its whole course
and naturally the point attacked must
recede. at the initial impact. But with
out a break, of which there is no indi-
cation. there is the certainty of coun-
ter attack, from more strongly forti-
fed positions in the rear lines of the
defense. and the ensuing losses are
likely to prove costly. In this case the
gain Of few miles is especially negli-
gible, it was asserted, because it is
made in territory of no military value
which has been fought over for many
months.
The. theory advanced this morning by
American Army officers that the Ger
man drive had reached its apex and a
counter attack was impending. was
justified few hours later by the news
that the British had begun their
counter attack.
It is considered probable that the
British and French themselves are less
stirred by the drive than Americans.
TO whom this first seeming reverse
since the active participation of Amer
lean troops came as a new expert
ence. whereas the British and French
have become accustomed to the oper-
aClOn ol ILlSutuScE6.
Fail to See Military Reasons.
Officers are at loss to know the
military reasons for the German effort
but its blatant press agent featuring
leads to the belief that it was made
with a view to Strengthening the Ger
man morale and for adverse effects on
the American state Of mind. If the
latter aim was in the Teuton mind the
general impression is that the Germans
misjudged the psychology Of the Amer
ican people as badly as they did that
of the Italians, when they hoped to
disintegrate the Italian morale as they
did that of the Russians. but only
succeeded in cementing the italian re.
sistance to a point where that nation
now is holding her own effectively. and
promises to be q genuine long run as
set to the allies.
Instead of discouragfng the United
States 1t was indicated that even In the
frst hours Of pessimism the Germans
-