New-York tribune., 1918-03-28
The Unknown Quantity

AMC OIahlOWH ZO1tHllAey
General Won Ludcndorff, the real
power behind the German military ma
chine, has always shown curious frank
ness in talking abo,-, the war.
In an interview at the front with the
correspondent of the Berlin "Tages-
zeitung" he is reported as saying: "a
great battle has been fought and vic
tory has been won, but nobody can
foresee what will result from it"
Won Ludendorff, with every incentive
to over-emphasize German success, eau
tiously suspends judgment. Perhaps he
remembers Verdun. Verdun looked
like glittering victory at the start,
but in the end had to be accepted as
crushing defeat. 1t cost Falkenhayn his
place as the head of the German General
Staff. Will the present tactical success
of the Germans, purchased at an enor-
nous cost, remain only a barren tacti-
cal success? Can it be pushed far
enough to disorganize the Allied armies
ard split them asunder? Or will it's
first promise Of farreaching conse-
qucnces turn to ashes as did the promise
of the first onrush at Verdun?
In itself the recovery Of the devas-
tated territory which Hindenburg aban-
doned a year ago has no significance
from the military point of view 1t was
not worth the price which the German
armies have paid for it. If they have re-
occupied it merely in order to hold it
they are no better off than they were
last year. Although they have driven
the British for the moment back across
the old Somme battlefield and have
penetrated again to Noyon, the Noyon
salient is now threatened more seriously
from the south than it was in 1917, for
the French still hold hanking positions
we'll above scissors, which they consoli
dated after Hindenburg's strategic re-
treat.
Every big offensive on the Western
front has had two phases. In the first
much ground has been gained by the as
sailants-often more ground. than could
be safely taken over In the second the
forward movement has been checked by
counter attacks. Then the original Of
fensive either held fast or was driven
back toward its starting point. At Cam
brai these two phases were very sharply
accentuated. 1t will be surprising if
the Allied high command on the West
front doesn't shortly deliver a counter
offensive comparable to that of the Ger
mans at Cambrai Clemenceau has pre-
dicted such an offensive within thirty-six
hours.
Ludendorff is also reported as saying:
I'VE have succeeded in changing the
fighting from position warfare to war
fare Of movement But how that will
help the Germans is not clear. The Bat
tie of the Marne was the elimination of
warfare of movement on a vast scale.
The Germans, defeated there, dug them
selves in in France, and have remained
dug in ever since. They deliberately pre-
ferred trench warfare to warfare of
movement We're the sacrifices Of the
last week worth while merely to change
the style of fighting on the Western
front?
Or was it the German purpose to over
awe the world by tremendous slaughter
by another demonstration of Ger
many's boasted "will to conquer? If so,
the demonstration has already failed.
Hindenburg's offensive has been followed
by revolt against German rapacity in the
Ukraine, and Odessa, which Germany al
ready counted as her own, has been re-
taken by the Bolshevist opponents Of the
pro-German Rada.
What, then, does the German West
front victory" mean? What is the Lu-
dendorffian algebraic in the equation
which is still awaiting solution on tho
soil of Picardy?