Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-07-18
BOCHE OFFENSIVE
SERIOUS, MILITARY
EXPERT DECLARES
Germany Still Has Million Men,
But She Must Break Down
Resistance Quick.
FIGHT FAR FROM ENDED
WZZMZNGTON

New York, July IA prominent
war front as follows
The story from the French battleholds
Is still one of unoeasing German attacks,
There can be no doubt that the present
drive is a most serious operation, a
major operation with nothing 10 in
dictate that II is meant 10 bc anything
else For some reason this attack has;
been regarded IN some quarters as a
diversion, an action begun merely for
the purpose of conccaling the real point
of attack and possibly forcing the Allies
TO withdraw troops from some other
vital sector In order to reinforce the
Champagne front
100000 MEN IN FIRST DAY.
"A mere consideration al numbers
should upset this theory In the great at
tack of March 2I the Germans attacking
on fifty-mlle front used IN the opening at
tack about half m ilhOn men this number
rapidly growing as the fighting developed
until before tn close about a million and
a quarter were engaged. The Germans
have at least as many men available
for this attack. While they have lost
heavily in several of their fights, there
II Sllll u CCINStll lifCsf8fftiit " Dt Ot-
tanned from the normal source of re-
crultment, as well as from the ret1Irne d
sick and wounded There is also Rus
STA, which contains still, or did contain
a short time ago thirty-eIght German
divisions. 1t Is an error on the side of
safety TO consider, then, that if Ger
many so desires she can put into the
present fight about the same strength
she displayed In her first great offensive.
FOE HAS MILLION MEN AVAILABLE.
"Having already put a half mill on men
INTO the present fight and still adding
10 this number as the divisions are best
ed and have to retire, she still has for
the gamble at least as many more. But
she has not enough either OF men or OF
material TO begin another such colossal
move m another sector while the pres
ent one Is IN progress.
There Is another thing TO remember
also with respect To this question of the
Germans still available for this fighting.
AS long as Germany has thus force TO
throw in the Alhes are In danger, and
optimistic reports 10 the contrary, the
battle is far from being ended. 1t has
opened, most auspIciously for the Allies.
The attempt To advance during two days
OF the hardest nghtIDg has been Beaten
except over the small but most impor-
tant front where the Name has been
crossed and the unimportant front be
tween the Marine and Rheims. But the
fighting all along the line is bitter and
mcessant; fresh troops are being thrown
in rapidly, and there arc plenty Of them
to throw in. The results of the battle
are therefore still in doubt.
MUST STRIKE HARD AT ONCE.
1--WE may, however, with reason look
back 10 previous efforts of this kind and
draw certain conclusions therefrom In
every offensive which can be termed
successful -5nd this refers to the attack
on March 81, to the attack against the
line at Armentieres somewhat later and
the attack against the French in the
valley of the Ailette River the success
came quickly, owing to the overwhelm-
ing Of the allied lines IN the first rush
Wherever this has not been accomplished
the attack has ultimately failed, and has
failed with disastrous losses The pres
ent effort appears TO come under the
latter class.