Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-03-14
BIG DRIVE TO
BE BEGINNING
OF END, SAYS
DE CEUNlNCK
Entire Strength Of Teutonic
Army Cannot Succeed,
Says General.

On h Belgian Front, February 8.
|-(Correspondonce of the Associated
Press.)-General A. de Ceuninck. the
distinguished soldier and minister of
war for Belgium. today expressed to
the correspondent Of The Associated
Press the firm conviction thai a great
offensive by the Germans on the west
ern front would be the beginning of
the end for the Prussian military ma
chine. This is true. said the general
because even If the enemy should put
his entire strength into an assault it
was doomed to certain failure in view
OF allied preparedness. Having defeat
ed the Germans in their onslaught, the
allies would be in a position, through
the alance Of power which America
had brought them, to counter with ir-
resistable force.
The minister had been asked to
discuss the military situation as it APP
peared in the light of Germany's pres
ent position, and the Prussian claim
that the entente allies would be
brought to their knees. The general
received the correspondent in the
chateau which, is being used as execu-
tive headquarters for the war depart
ment and talked freely for half an
hour or more. General de !Ceuninck is
n veteran Of many battles, and he had
brought with him to the ministry the
comprehensive grasp of large prob
lens, the quick decision and the dis
clpline which have made his reputa-
ton in the Belgian army. One reads
assurance and .alertness in his every
word and move.
At the outset of the conversation the
general spoke of the close friendship
existing between Belgium and the
United States, and Hreferred in the most
grateful terms to the assistance which
America has. rendered her ally
through the Red Gross. the commits
sion for relief in Belgium, and in 9TH
er ways.
THE morale Of the hard pressed
Belgians has been sustained and in
citizens of the. United States were
standing with them in the battle for
freedom and justice. You have light
ened u load and enabled us to con-
tinue the struggle" aid the general.
He paused, and then added with
great feeling:
81 assure you that the first thing
Belgium will do after the conclusion
OF peace will be to erect a monument
to her good friend"
The general turned to the outlook
for the allied arms on the battlefield.
I'VE do not underrate the strength
of our opponents" he said. Germany
is a military nation, a powerful ma
ton, and h is not yet defeated.
America, however. has brought into
the conflict the additional
necessary to tip the balance in our ia
vor. and an allied victory is assured.
The outcome of the war now hinges
on the question Of numbers, and the
superiority rests with us.
Germany will fail in any offensive
which she may be preparing for on
the western front. The allies are ready
for II move and. will present an un-
breakable line. If the enemy is going
to stake everything on a big attack
and is calling out every he
can command. he will have reached
the beginning of the end when he
fails 10 break through, for the counter
trokes Of the allies can result in only
II thing-defeat for Germany. 1t
may take some time to put the finish
ing touches on the victory but this
will be accomplished.
so far as the Belgian army is con-
carned it is prepared for eventualities.
The morale of the troops and of the
civilian population never has been
higher than it is today. Our soldiers
are eager to fight. At times we have
had difficulty in restraining them I'M
til the proper moment for action, for
they chat under the restraint. But
they must be content to await develop
ments. They are only one wheel of the
great allied machine and every part
OF that machine must work in coop
Grafton ito make it run smoothly.
whenever n call comes we shall be
waiting to respond with every atom
of strength which we have.
The entrance of America into the
wal has done much to cheer our
troops. The fact that the United States
is with us, both as a friend and as a
fighting ally, to the man in the