Evening journal., 1918-05-24
BY HENRY WOOD

United Press staff Correspondent
WITH THE FRENCH ARMIES, April
% tby mair Gen. Won Hutier's new
method OF assault" constituting the
latest product and the latest hope o.
Prussisn nilitarism. has Just met rs
Waterloo at the hands Of the stolid
French poilus on the LaFere-Amiens
front.
Successful 10 an astounding degree
IN the capture OF Riga, this new method
applied on the western front has cost
the German armies to date half q mil
lion men. has shattered Ludendorff's S
Kolcssal Konception Of crushing the
English army and marching on Paris,
snd has wrested from Germany her
last dream and hope OF a successful ter
mination OF the war on the western
front.
Although Won Hutier's new method
OF assault" was known IN It's general
lines TO the Allied commands as a re-
Bult OF its first try-out at Riga, II is
only since It's application on the French
front that all Of its details have be-
come known. Its collapse Is all the
more humillating owing to the fact that
General Won Hutier was called from the
Riga front TO command himself the
troops, that, applying his method, were
20 smash through the English front at
81. Quentin and then march down the
valley OF the Disc on Paris.
Had Aroused Confidence.
Il Is known, In fact, that Il was
largely on the confidence that had been
aroused In this new method that the
consent Of the imperial government was
obtained for the big Ludendorn stra-
tegic plans OF q western front often
sive.
Won Hutier's new method differed in
one great fundamental respect from its
immediate predecessors with the Ger
man imperial command, IN that the
Germans, having early In the war es-
tablished the dogma that the only way
TO crush the enemy's lines was by
heavy artillery, came back on Won HUI
tiers recommendation to the attain
ment OF this end by massed attacks OF
human beings.
Beginning with this change IN the
fundamental idea, Won Hutier then
grouped about his plan all Of the vari-
out methods and means OF warfare that
the present great conflict has developed
from English tanks to German flame
fhrowers, welding them into a whole
which he and the German stan became
convinced would constitute an abso-
l1tely Irresistible, crushing force for any
ANTAGONIST against whom II might be
directed. The first experiment at Riga
seemed TO demonstrate that Won Hutier
was right but the second one on the
French front developed that the French
poilu Is Fighter.
How Method Worked.
The detailed application Of Won Hu-
tiers method both at Riga and on the
western front In the region OF saint
Quentin was ss follows: First OF all,
lhe troops 10 participate in the attack
syere drilled and rehearsed for months
IN advance in the part they were TO
play. until each was letter perfect.
When the hour set for the sttsck
,rrived. the German artillery began a /
short preparation. In order to aNoia
ioslne the benefit OF a surprise attack
Nv fhe old time artillery preparation OF
xsversl davs. Won Hutler planned by
an astounding concentration of guns
"a accomplish in a few hours the pre-
Nous work OF days.
In addition this artillery preparation
s1tended 10 an extreme depth TO the
rear. demollshing the second and thlro
lines at the same time as the nrst. 10
brevent the enemy's guns from inter
kening end sllercing the German pat
ferries gas shells were showered all over
the enemy's artillery lines rendering
Ii Impossible for the gunners Tor sew
eral hours 10 serve their pieces.
ASSAULT Troops Go Forward.
=The assaulting troops which were
.lpt concentrated in the rear until the
soment OF attack. were then hurried
IN under cover OF the night and OF thls
hort artillery preparation.
Al the hour flxed for the attack the
Infantry leaped forward In dense
masses Each division had two resi-
nnents in the attacking line and one
In reserve. All Of the forces
svsiIable were thrown into the ngnE
reeardless OF loss, for the purpose OF
crushing the enemy al the
terv flrst onslaught, the infantry pro.
sress,ng in three and four waves AZ
Serv short intervals behind each other'
With the capture Of the first Object,
Ixe ri1emen, machine-sun men, anu
nortsble machine-gun marksmen lmme-
sIsteIy opened barrage OF bullets De
I,veen 1900 and 1000 yards In advance
Under cover Of this. curtain OF steel
Ihe second wave Of infantry passlhs