The sun., 1918-03-24

hours demonstrate clearly that the
German attack in Picardy 10 the great
offensive. The Germans are plainly
seeking solution Of the problem OF the
world war upon the battlefield and en-
deavoring to insure the permanence Of
their war won structure, Of their great
Mitteleuropa edificc. by a military vic
tory. Since Napoleon set out for Mos
COW, therefore, there has been no cam,
paign equal in magnitude Of issues to
the present. Germany is fighting az
Bernhard forecast. for world power or
downfall"
Not less clear Is the fact that the
Germans have chosen to make their
supreme effort against the British.
THE day" long fvrecas, by William II.
has arrived, although it is the British
Army. not the navy, which bears the
brunt Of the attack. And the Germans
have attacked the British because the
British are their great enemy. II the
French were attacked and beaten the
great British Army would remain and
Britain would he forced to continue
the war, IL only to save her empire.
But IL the British Army shall he de-
,eated ard driven back to the coast.
France can hardly escape making a
seTarate peace. since she will be unable
to bear the full weight OF victorious
German armies and American hep
cannot be material for wear.
British Picked a. Easier to Beat.
Hating the British most. believing
them the real remaining obstacle to a
victorious German peace. the Germany
have also attacked Haig because they
believe that 1t will be easier to smas.
the British than the French. II the
trench warfare can be ended and the
struggle transformed to war in the
open. a war OF manPuvre. like the
, campaign from Mons to the Marne. In
German military calculation, the Brit
ish Army will prove an easier victim
! than the French. since 1t is made up
! OF non professional soldiers ofiicered
largely by civilians. not soldiers by
career. II old fashioned warfare be
restored.
AS to the actual battle aspect OF the
German offensive, 1t is to be noted first
that the artillery preparation was short
| but OF unprecedented intensity. recalling
! the Verdun offensive OF two years ago.
| At the Somme and in Flanders the ar
tillery duel lasted weeks. but. thanks
to captured Russian and italian artil-
l lery and to the aid OF German and
Austrian guns released from the east
ern front, the Germans have been able
to intensity the Are and shorten the
duration Of artillery preparation.
After their artillery preparation on
| n front OF some fifty miles between the
Scarpe and the Disc. that is between
Arras and St. Quentin. the Germans
three days ago began their infantry
attacks. not evenly along the line. but
at various widely separated points.
On the first day their main effort was
directed at British positions on either
; side of|the Cambria Bapa ume- -Amiens
road. not far from the scene OF the
recent battle OF Cambria and extend
| ing to the ground OF the battle of
Arras. BY Friday their activities had
shifted to the other end OF the opera
tive front before st. Quentin and along
the St. Quentin Noyon Paris road.
Double Turning Movement.
1t would seem. therefore, that the
| Germans are again seeking to employ
their favorite strategy OF double
turning movement. In other words
they are cndeavoring to break through
| the British line at two widely sepa
rated points, isolating the British
| troops between the two breaks. en-
veloping them and thus making a
really great gap In the whole front.
This they did with great success In
Poland in 1915, in Rumania In 1915 and
| in Italy last autumn.
Following this plan the Germans
! have made material but indccisive
gains on the north along the Ba-
paume road. Croisilles. Lagnicourt,
Roursies, Dolgnes. mentioned in the
official reports of Friday. are all in
| this region. On the other hand they
have made more considerable gains
about st. Quentin and a material re-
tirement OF the British along the
Noyon road Is disclosed in Haig's Sat
urday report. The two German thrusts
may be compared to the application OF
a pair OF pincers. and the German aim
is TO crush all the British line between
the upper Jaw Of the pincers on the
Bapaume road and the lower on the
Noyon road.
But the real question which is now
! raised is not a question OF the relative
or actual success Of the Germans In
breaking one, two or even three lines
| of British defences. or taking num-
Der OF ruined villages: 1t is whether
the British have provided sufficient
number of positions. 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 Yer
dun they nearly lost that town;
s.m,l,r Russian failure led to the dis