Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-04-26
With Other Editors
The Counter Offensive.

Looking back through recent files of almost any
American newspaper, one encounters such headlines
as Allied Counter Stroke Coming" "Foch to Hit
Back Soon" and Great Allied Offensive 1mpends."
One reads moreover, General Haig's announcement
The French coming rapidly and IN great force
our support"
No allied counter stroke eventuated No army at
all resembling GalIenis rushed the relief of Cen
eral Haig Why? Because no such army exists? No
Because General Foch lacks decision? No Because
Haig overestmated the allies reserve power
and their ability to the day? No.
From French sources come interpretations making
the whole thing clear. The great allied offensive
"impendng"-that is never in the sense
of "Hag to Hit Back Soon" And if the French were
coming rapidly and in great Hag's support
the promised relief merely local the be-
ginning of great allied offensive"
But if American newspapers innocently raised
false hopes, Frenchmen believe heartily in the coun-
ter stroke.s Those Frenchmen who best understand
General Fochs strategy say that day by day the
counter stroke is being prepared for and that when
the right arrives it will be forthcoming They
expect victory. The war, they assume in its last
chapter. This counter stroke may write The End"
1t with this counter stroke in mind that
Marshal Joffre urged America to send men. Russia
had collapsed the of 1918 would find Ger
might at its maximum, allied might at its mini
mum. Germany would exert her full strength on the
front.
Things have turned out But the allied mini
mum about equals the herman maximum There
are 200 German diviions the western front There
200 allied divisions. If the figures require little
tinkerng. they disclose no very serious preponder-
ance of German strength.
Then why this tremendous drive? Because Ger
many is employing her reserves while the allies are
refusing to employ theirs. Moreover, the German
policy is to sacrifice men in the hope OF early victory
while the allied policy is to sacrifice ground in hope
of ultimate victory
AT selected point, the Germans by using their
reserves outnumber the allies Instead of bring
ing up allied reserves wholesale to restore the bal
ance, General Foch lets the line fall back Each
tussle involves merciless slaughter of Germans
while the allies, by giving up ground save men.
Each time, Germany grows proportionately weaker,
the allies proportionately stronger
Technically it is for the present a war Of attr,
ton, but the attrion goes on at rate Altogether
unprecedented that practically it deserves less
disheartening name. And while the process con-
tinues Americans rapidly pouring across into
France. Joffre demanded them. Foch will use them
The allies not merely conserving men: they are
fast gaining Let this continue, and allied
strength will one day Overwhelmingly surpass Ger
man strength. When that day Foch will strike
This is the French view. 1t is the French inter-
probation of allied strategy the remainder of 1918
II explains much. Retreats, loss of territory. the
Of French cities-these things France can
endure. She in them the price of victory. She
is biding her time She Cord to. Daily the
American army in France increases its numbers and
its efficiency. With its help, she to win
Chicago Tribune.