New-York tribune., 1918-02-22
Kaiser Aims Blow
To Crush France,
Will Irwin S View
Republic Is Ready, He AS
serts, to Cope With I'm
pending Offensive

Germany viii strike in the coming
and France is ready. This is the opin-
ION Of Will Irwin, war correspondent.
just returned after ten months in the
war zone, who spoke yesterday for the
first time since his return. to members
OF the National League for Woman S
Service ut The league headquarters, 257
Madison Avenue.
"Jm only Il cafe stratcgist," said Mr..
Irwin, "but it looks to me as il Ger
many is laying for France this time.
She might come through Switzerland,
but in my opinion she is directing all
these weeks Of preparation and vol
umcs Of advertising at France. But
let me say that the French army is
thoroughly prepared. The lessons
learned at Ncrdun arc not soon forgot
ten, and every emergency is being
planned for by the staff of that Won
dcrful fighting machine that France
has.
Battle Prelude TO Peace
81 have great hope and great conf
dencc That when Germany has poured
her thousands into the slaughter mouse
this spring, she may read the signs in
the heavens, and consent to u peace that
will preserve some Of the fragments Of
civilization, at least
Germany cannot mass troops or re
sources much superior to those of the
Allies. Mr.. Irwin sail. They will have
a SLIGHT numerical advantage in troops.
he explained. slight superiority IN The
air, and no advantage in artillery. The
Allies have plenty OF guns
morale of the Allied forces. The Ital-
ian army made. he asserted, "thc most
wonderful come back in morale that
the world has ever known"
"Thcrc is never any question about
the morale Of the Eritish.' Mr.. Irwin
continued. "Thcy have real character.
The French have more imagination and
have had their scare about this spring
offensive. They arc all over that now
and ready for the test. They arc also
greatly hcartencd BY the advent of the
American soldiers.
Italy Restores Morale
"The Italians consider a real as
set. They are the scrappcst fighters
ganzed army in the Allied forces, aud
they arc out to win. The Italian dis
astcr at PiaVc was the result of trick
rry, purely German propaganda worl;
by which the Italian troops were lead
70 believe that peace was near. The
sting of humiliation that followed the
Italian breakdown has whipped them
on until they're one Of the big teams
in the league this year.
"Jhey saved Venice when not mill
tary expert in Europe dreamed it could
be done. and they'll do q great deal
more before the tale is told'
Echoes Of a general European social
revolution that have been coming over
20 the United States were confirmed
yesterday by Mr.. Irwin.
Democracy in Europe
cts not coming" he said. cts here.
Europe is red, RIGHT this minute. Eng
land has already succunbed to the in
tvitable; the economic programme that
labor has laid out and that has been
approved by the powers, is the most
radical and advanced programme pos
siblc. Spain is on the ccge; her intel
lectuals arc nro-Ally and very radical,
and King Alfonso, being one Of them,
is in u fair way Noward being made
the first President of Spain. Austria
is heart sick of the war. The Bolshc-
wiki did the trick for Russia. Ger
many HAS been hardest hit of all the
warning countries. and is getting very
tired"