The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1918-05-29

converting the allied forces into a
superiority! 1t was the hope OF strik-
ing a decisive blow before this hap
pened that led Germany to make the
present drive. But she has been STOP
ped. With what help we can give,
England and France may this year
drive the Germans out of France. They
will at least hold. And when we get
our fresh millions mobilized on French
soil we will drive the war worn huns
across the Rhine and force them into
a decent peace, else we'll take Berlin.
And when we take 1t, We'll destroy
that modern image of Hindenberg as
certain as the Israelites destroyed the
craven image of Baal!
The critics at home should begin
to understand that since we entered
the war we have done the things first
that were most necessary, and in de-
Gliding what things were most neces-
sary we have been advised by England
munitions and the thousand and one
varieties Of supplies before they want
ed men, So while our men were be-
ing mobilized and trained at home, our
ships were bringing over supplies
for the allies, and supplies for our own
men when they reached France.
The allies knew the big offensive
would come thing spring. They knew
the German legions on the Russian
frontier would be sent to France.
They knew the man power of Germany
and they prepared for it. Our part
of the preparation was first to supply
England and France with whatever
they needed to resist the onslaught,
and second to have as large an army
as possible ready for the line when
the onslaught came. We have in a
most efficient way carried out our
part of the arrangements agreed on
months ago. We transported across
the ocean equipment and supplies the
amount of which when known will
astonish the world; we sent over thou
sands and thousands of civilian labor
ers and other thousands of engineers,
nurses, doctors, stevedores, transport
men, aviators, sgnal service men, me-
chanics, carpenters, ETC.; we sent bat
tleships and submarine destroyers and
loaned our allies billions of dollars.
Power Of Enemy Known.
And in addition, we mad large
army, splendidly equipped, that went
in at the crucial moment The
strength of the allied and German
forces being known, no doubt the ex-
act numerical strength of the army we
were to have ready had been deter
mined and agreed upon months in ad.
vance.
There is no occasion for hysteria
or excitement. Almost exactly what
was expected has happened in Elan.
ders. War has been reduced to q SCI
ence, and the unexpected seldom hap
pens in the scientific world The con-
duct Of a battle is like the conduct of
a business enterprise Most pecnle
believe that some great victory or de-
feat is daily imminent. They expect
some such thing to happen as happen
ed at Bull Run, when fashionable
Washington society rode across the
morning to see the southern cOnfeder-
acy exterminated. Not so. In these
days of news gathering and espion-
age and airplanes, much about the
man power and equipment Of the en-
emy is known.
England knew the German drive
was coming, and prepared to fight in
the retreat. She knew the Germans
would charge in mass formation. Or
dinarily but four thousand men make
a charge on one mile Of the line. That's
all there's room for. charging in sim
gle line. But the Germans came line
after line, more after more. About
as many men, four thousand. are used
to defend one mile of the line. Only
this number did the English use.
They would stop the first wave Of the
Germans, badly damage the second.
then perhaps retire in order a few
hundred yards or half mile through
line of their own reserves who would
receive and damage or destroy or stop
the succeeding German waves.
Killing the Germans.
Charging thus the Germans afford
ed splendid targets for machine guns.
They were killed by the tens of thou
sands. That was the British plan of
battle, that was what they were do
ing, just killing Germans. The Ger
mans were merely gaining few miles
over desOlate waste, miles that have
little value from a military stand
point.
True. the British retired farther
than they expected. With all their
and anticipation of the
drive, and all their preparation for it,
they did not reckon on the numbers
that would come against them. The
Germans have used over a hundred
divisions in this battle. A German
division is composed of 14,50O men, so
they sent over million and half
men to that hell yonder in Picardy
and Flanders.
We are in direct touch at the place
where l am writing with this bloody
front. not only with telephone CON-
munica tions, but with men who have
come the few miles from there direct
by rail wounded French and Ameri-
cans. Tonight conversed with two
men who left the British front yester-
day morning. We had one Y. NJ. C.
A. hut in the area captured by the
Germans.
VIM. p Welts, of New York, was in
charge Of this hut. He abandoned it
and fell back with the British for nine
days, then came here. At no time, he
said, was there the least evidence of
panic. The men would be ordered to