The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-10-28

Hindenburg's forces are Keeling
backward, not because they are much
inferior In strength to the allied arm
les, but because Field Marshal Foch
and his lieutenants have developed
new tactics and the German makers
OF war have not worked out a way
to counter them. For, placed as the
allies nov are, with increasing mum
bers of Americans becoming available
daily for the fight, the problem is one
almost incapable of solution by the
Germans.
Seemingly, the Germans, IL Berlin's
war communicates may be taken as in
dicating their conclusions, have not
even grasped the significance of
Toch's strategy, or IL they have, the
war lords are keeping 1t very dark.
The official German communicates
speak of repeated failures of the al
lies to effect a "break through" just
way through the French and British
lines In March, April, May, June and
July. That's where the Germans
make their first mistake. The allies
are not trying to effect a break
through Foch has not yet reached
that point In his offensive plan.
Foch's strategy Is based upon a
sliquid" or shifting offensive, one
which IL started on a comparatively
narrow front, designed to gain linn
tied detectives. If these are obtained
then the attack may be widened, and
the plan is to hit somewhere else.
Thus the whole German line Is kept In
constant state of dread and anticlpa-
tion, while unable to retrieve the of
fensive SO skillfuliy welded by Foch.
Hun Plan Of Attack.
Lndendorff's plan of attack was
simply to break through the allied
lire by sheer weight. He struck only
after weeks of careful preparation, de-
voting all his forces to the n sa-
lient attacked. AS his blows lost mo-
mentum and "petered out" he was
then compelled to start all over again
on some other sector. Each offensive
was a separate enterprise, and when
he drained dry the possibilities of
each, his strategic successes were un
important. He failed to accomplish
what he set out to do. Ludendorffs
blows were along the same lines of
every other big German movement,
such as brought successes against O
weaker force, as In Roumania, Serbia,
and at Caporetto. Ludendorff evident
~ paid no attention to what Foch
had In mind, for Ludendorff hoped fol-
q crushing success, and with that the
plans of the enemy mattered little.
During all of the anxious month:
Of the German drives, Foch was guild
"a by q maxim laid down by himsell
when Instructor at the French Stat
college. which held:
1nconomize forces while keepin,
the combat nourished. right up to the
moment when we shall pass from sucl
preparation to the main attack"
That principle has been Foch's guild
ing star. Foch economical forces
when the enemy wasted his In abor
live attempts to break through. Fool
yielded ground, when he could with
out endangering his strategic position
rather than waste men. He was say
Ing his for the time whel
the Germans had welded their clu'
20 vigorously that exhaustion of Gel
man reserves took away the terro
Of the club.
Continued Hammering.
That principle is at the basis of a
the allies have done since July II
when the Franco-Americans starte
their counter-offensive which drov
the Germans back to the Vesle. TIL
second battle Of the Marine had n
more than ended when the third ba'
tie Of the Somme began, with Haig
attack on the Amiens front. Will
German reserve divisions were throw
In to halt this drive, Mangin struc
on the Aisne front and this battle ha
no more than thrown greater conste
nation and confusion In the Germa
command than Byng's blow was d
liyered on the Ancre. Foch was worl
lmg ont his principle of a Liquid o
eensfve." keeping the 'battle nourisI
a" and working toward the momeI
when the allies shall 'pass from pre-
afation to the main attack"
Before the main attack is dellvert
the allies must be much stronger this
hey now are. In consequence Of co
tlnued hammering the Germans all
Vim b very much weaker. The ma
attack viii not be struck until the
n every reason to believe that 1t w
win and shatter the German army.
Thus the present fighting resembl
IN great measure a dueling match, e
cent that the allies have a comma
der IN chief who knows how to VIE
sword. how to parry and thrus
while the opponent Ii only versed
the art of welding q club. 1t is |
cause the opponent is still stro
that tho thrust cannot yet be ma
which win lose him the combat.
All Of the allied blows since I