The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-04-06

A FTER reading an article by Andre Cheradame in the current issue Of the
y Atlantic Monthly am more than ever convinced that the campaign OF
: the British in Mesdpotamp and Palestine viii develop INT one OF the
most important a fronts IN 1917. instead Of beng n expensive side show,
as the general thought about the war in Asia Minor has been in the past
Cheradame. one of the most gifted of French writers in the essay men
toned, argues that the principal cause OF the blmdes Of the allies il. the theory
OF the western front as the principal and only decisive theater ot the war He
blames Colonel Repington, the erstwhie military critic OF the London Times
for British policy due to the power Of the Norhehfe press with the public.
Lloyd George in his Paris speech admitted that the focus OF thought in the
west had enabled Germany ~ construct her Mite European idea and launch out
on the Berlin TO the Persian gulf scheme OF grandiOSe world power before entente
diplomats sensd the real purpose OF Germany in this war, which is now def
with the Berlin to Bagdad railway as the backbone reaching to the Persian Gulf
which ws merely a stepping stone to the back of Britain. =
April found the British column IN the kuphraes in Meopotamia. fifty
miles above the town OF Ahah, which is in turn $50 miles northwest of Bagdad
moving up the Tigris and possibly will reach Mosul before the excessive heat
of May stops big movements for the summer.
The success OF General Ahnby in his cleaning out Of Palestine has been
without a single setback Anenbys men today stand ffy-fve miles north OF
railway, the only railroad between Damascus, Medina and Mecca The road
feeds the entire Arabian peninsula. The railroad has been severed at the base
OF the peninsula. Cut off from supplies, all Turks in this territory will fall
rapidly. They will be driven into surrender to Alcnby in the north, or fall into
the hands OF the hostile Arab tribes under the victorious grand sheriff Of Mecca
Less than 500 miles now separate the two British armies working toward
each other IN Palestine and MeSopotamia. The two fronts will become a single
front next winter, While Asa Minor Fan truthhny be called a waste of mag
nihcent distances, the miles will be eaten up with unparalleled rapidly if this
campaign is carried on another year -
! fore,ee in a summer of intense fighting in the west the absolute annihlaton
of all Of Gemanys reserves Therefore a great attack in Mcsopoamia, possible
in the opening days OF the campaign of 1918 before Hindenburgs last gamble
will be impossible in 1919 because of the shor age of man power.
by winter the crisis IN the shipping situation will have been passed and the
tonnage will begin to be available in increasing quantities for the muniionnent
and support of a great campaign in Asia Minor.
Therefore anticipate this theater being the principal front during the winter
of 1918 when all the lines in the west will be locked in the arms of winter
1t is still a long way to Constantnople by this roundabout method, but the
persistence with which the British have stuck tot their guns and the open manner
Georges old theory of the Importance of the east will blossom into fuiion in
the last year of the war-W. NJ Fl.