Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-24
AD FAILURES
DEPRESS ENEMY
German Morale Weakened
BY Terrific Toll Taken
by British
HANKS LEAD ATTACK
By PHILIP GIBBS


There has been some very deter
mined raiding by the enemy and tn,
I British during the last few days, thu
purpcse, of course, being to Obtain
a pfisoners and gain information about
tina enemy and his preparedness for ar
attack. In most of these raids it may
Z fairly be asserted that the British
were more successful than the Ger
mans, though, of course, failure some
times happens where the enemy Is
holding his lines strongly and is quick
70 defend his positions.
These raids are fierce affairs. de.
pending for success, as l have often
remarked. on the most careful train
ing and leadership. on the individual
courage and cunning of the raidinc
parties, and, lastly, on that little bit
: Of luck which must always be counted
- an element of war when surprise is
the essential thing. In these raids a
delay Of a minute of two, an accidental
noise arousing the enemy's sentries
before the attack, or chance bullet
that knocks out the leader of the raid
before IL has well begun. may lead to
something less than full success, and
now and then to absolute failure. II
= Ill touch and so and nervous work
TOR young officers and men who have
not been hardened to it by long eX-
perience.
Tanks Lead Raiders
A new feature of this kind of fight.
ing was introduced last night in raj.
near Bucquoy, when some British
tanks went out first in the darkness,
crawling over No Mans Land and
making a tour of a certain section
ef the enemy's line They completed
their journey and came back safely,
sitter opening the way for the in.
fantry who followed them.
The enemy was in strong force ana
got his heavy machine guns at WORK.
70 that the British raiders were appar.
emily unable to go as far as they
might otherwise have done. Elsewhere,
g at Morlancourt, other troops
hrcught back Germans and machine
guns after inflicting severe loss upon
the enemy in trenches and outposts
which were strongly defended.
! Enemy Attack Fails
~ Ihe enemy made an attack after Z
o'clock this morning, which amounted to
more than a raid and was quite disas.
tFous to him. For some time before his
troops moved a very heavy lombard
ment fell upon the Strazeele railway, up
sive system in that neighborhooa
Then the guns lifted, about 200 Ger
mans came forward behind a barrage,
hoping to meet with small opposition
K after all that shelling. But the British
machine gunners and riflemen caught
thsm under fierce fire and scattered
them with great loss.
These minor affairs do not count for
much in comparison with important bat
ties, but they have a steady effect upon
the strength and spirit of the German
troops in the line, causing many casual
ties among them and keeping them al
ways in a state of nervous tension. until
Z ~ last they reach the verge of the break
tng point and have to be Withdrawn from
the line for period Of rest.
Breaks Foes Morale
The long trail back Of wounded men
Who have suffered from ,he harassing
afrs Of the British artillery, from aerial
bombing. from gas and raids. keeps the
sDen In the back areas behind the Ger
man lines constantly In mind Of the fate
that may await them when IT is their
turn for front-line fighting, and there Is
~ doubt from what many prisoners say
that many German soldiers are ready to
Is any kind of "scrimshanking" to avoid
the front
One finds reference to this state OF
mind in some Of the captured letters. as
N one taken within the week from a
man who says:
lit is about time this misery came tc
: IN end. The Third Battalion refused tc
- into line, and when the Second Bat.
&A1ion went In twelve men disappeared
from one company alone"
Occasionally some of the German sol
0iers in the back areas try to make thei,
way back to Brussels. and one man wa.
told by some civilians in a village tina
800 deserters had passed through tina
place.
Use Released Prisoners
A new class of men of inferior morale
Il seems. is being formed by the draft
Of German prisoners recently liberated II
Russia. 1t is said that these men repor
z INST at Warsaw, where they are medi
eAly examined and then passed to depot
I II Germany. There they receive a shor
1eave and are then called up for activ'
eorvice again. They do not like the idea
! ano from one draft of 565 it Is reported
sthAt Afty-seven deserted.
These statements are on rather here
!. .<ay evidence, and to my mind probabl.
+ 3Hnggerated by the German soldiers VIII
4 #n6noat them, but they have some foun
G6kion Of truth and represent revolt il
~ minds of many man hard tried b.
x ~ long agony of war in which no vic
f0ry. no, sacrifice, ever brings then
Hoarer their goal, but all lead only L
+. kHw calls upon their blood. One day per
: &nns that spirit may spread among grea
11nnbers of the German troops. but no
/, ~. The main body of the Germa
10y Is still under the spell of its iro
rhership and of its traditions of vic
13.us onslaught. In spite of creepin
mhfs, the main bulk of these men sti
tove. am sure, that they have
ance Of smashing their way TO victor,
~ In that belief are ready to figh
+; Plan New Offensive
- Dvep now. they are preparing for ar
&>sr series of offensive operations. an,
rnite Of the slaughter of their con
~ since March 81, would makU thos
oslls with the same ferocity and di'