South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-03-25
BY FRANk n sTNfONDs

Scarpe and the Disc, that Is:
between Arras and 81. Quentin,
the Germans four days ago be-
gan their infantry attacks. not
evenly along the line. but at
various widely separated points.
On the first day their main ef-
fort was directed at British pO-
sitions ON either side OF the
Cambrai-Bapaume-Amiens road.
not far from the scene Of the
recent battle OF Cambria aud ex-
tending 20 the ground OF the
battle OF Arrsls. BY Friday their
activities had shifted Co the 9th
or end OF the operative front
before II. Quentin and along
the Quentin. OyOn- Paris road.
IL would se> IN. therefore. that
the Germans are again seeking
To- employ their favOrite STRAIT
egy OF n double turning move
ment. In other words. they are
endeavoring TO break through
the British line at two widely
separated points. isOlaiing the
British troops between the two
breaks; enveIOping them, and
thus making a really great gap
i'm the whole front.
This they did with great sue
cess in Poland in 1918. i'm RO-
mania i'm 1916, and i'm Italy last
autumn.
Following this plan the Ger
mans have made material but
indeCisiVe gains on the north
along the BapaUme road. CrOi-
stiles, Lagin Court and BOursi-
doignes. mentioned in the OIL
cial reports Of Friday are all i'm
this region.
On the other hand they have
made a more considerable gain
about St. Quentin and "A mater
iaI retirement OF the British
along the NOyOn road u dis
closed i'm Hsig's saturday re-
port.
The two German thrusts may
bc compared To the application
OF a pair of pincers, and the
German aim Is 10 crush all the
British line between the upper
Jaw OF the pincers on the Ba-
paume road and the lower ON
the NoyOn road.
But the real question which
IL now raised is not a question
OF the relative or actual success
of the Germans i'm breaking
one, two or even three lines OF
British defences, or taking a
number OF ruined villages. It i
whether the British have pro-
yided n sufficient number of pO-
sitions. one behind the other,
to enable them to break the
weight OF the first German
thrust.
On this depends the fate Of
the allied campaign OF 1918.
Because the French failed To
make this provision at Nerdun
they nearly lost that town: =
similar Russian failure Ied To-
the disaster OF the Dunajec, and
tho italian defeat at the IsOnzO
had exactly the same cause.
ON the other hand German
foresight i'm Champagne At the
Somme and i'm Flanders dcpriV-
eel allied advances OF any but
local profit. Haig's report OF
German success about 1t. Quen-
tin and British retreat over the
devastated country to their next
line raises the whole question
squarely. The Germans devas-
lated the country with an eye
To possible later Ofensives.
They destroyed every village
and wood that might give the
enemy cover or material tO i'm
prOyise a defence under pres
sure. All depends now upon the
prepared lines behind. OF which
Haig speaks. The Germans on
their part will be handicapped
by the difficulties Of bringing
mp their guns To face the new
position and OF transporting
their munitions.
Thus. IL the British have fore
seen the present emergency.
they will presently b. in their
new lines and the Germans will
be compelled To pause while
their heavy artillery is getting
up.
Such an interludC marked the
battle OF Arras after the first
British rush over the Nimy
Ridge TO the plain. Such pause
has been familiar CirCum-
stance I'm all great Offensive.
ON the other hand. il the
British have been caught nap
ping. If they have not prepared
lines. as the Germans did be-
fore the SOmme. AZ their main
systems have been penetrated.
then difficult and dangerous
days must be expected. Then
Haig will have TO cOuntcr-attaCk
while new lines are constructed
Just as Pctain had To counter
attack on tie DOuaumOnt pla-
tcau at Ncrdun; just a. the
Germans themselves counter
attacked At once at Cambria
while they were preparing their
main counter thrust, which did
not como for nearly "A week al
ter the first British success,
We arc then clearly at the
decisive moment OF the first
phase OF the great German Of
fensiVe. All depends now upon
British fOrethOught and British
SUCCESS I'm retiring upon careful