Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-18
FOE SUPERIORITY
IN MEN DOUBTED.
Austrian Lone Hand in
Italy Taken to Indicate
German Shortage
COMPARE POPULATION
Special Gable to Erening Public Ledger

Special Gable to Erening Public Ledger
Copyright, 1918, By Nc,C York times Co.
Paris. June IS.
\ question which is being discussed
here with increasing interest daily is
whether the Germans. after all. really
possess anything like crushing supe-
riority in numbers on the western front.
The tendency is more and more to dis
credit the theory that they do. and there
are now many who are skeptical as to
numerical superiority ought not tc have
been given up long ago.
The TACT that the Allies since the end
of March have been able to bring four
great German offensives to n standstill
on the French front and that the Ger
man high command is known to have
sent urgent orders to Falkenhayn to
send back every available man from
Russia within seven days certainly af-
fords strong evidence in support of this
view. which the peculiar circumstan
of the Austrian offensive may perhaps
confirm
The fact that Austria appears to be
playing a lone hand IN this offensive
the Germans are so short of men that
they have been unable to furnish Aus
tria with stiffening German troops
without which Austrians have never
been able to make any headway against
the Italians. Russians, or even the Ru-
manians, CT the German grip on the
Austrans Is nowhere near as complete
as we have been led to believe. If it
were, the predominant partner would
surely have been able to compel her
brilliant second" to send a substantial
number of divisions to the west front
during the present critical period,
Austria Could send Help
That Austria could do so. If she were
willing, is evident from the fact that,
according to experts. the total of her
forces engaged in the present offensive
! against Italy does not exceed $4,000
| bayonets.
| There is also a certain amount of COL
| lateral evidence in the fact that it would
be greatly TO Austrias advantage TO
send some Czech, Slav and other troops
of doubtful loyalty to France in ex-
change for an equivalent number of re-
liable German divisions. Yet she has
not done so.
Although many persons here regard
| the Austrian offensive as the result of
German initiative. with the object of pre-
venting the Allied army in Italy from
| giving any assistance to relieve the
| pressure in France, there are others
who find it difficult to reconcile the Aus
! trian offensive with German strategic
plans. These are inclined to regard the
| offensive against Italy as evidence that
Austria is determined to take the often
sive in spite of German interests In
| order to divert the attention of the peo-
pie at home from the domestic situation.
which appears to be becoming desperate.
| To this school belong those who have
begun to deny that Germany possesses
any real superiority of numbers on the
west front, and the reason why the
Allies are remaining on the defensive is
not lack of men. but transport facilities.
arising from the fact that the Germans
are able TO work on interior lines, and
lack Of sufficient self-confidence to pass
to the offensive.
| Cite Ponulation Fi1ures