New-York tribune., 1918-06-19
Austrian Drive
A Failure, Says
A. Bonar Law-
Continued from page 1

that no offensive on this scale through
out the whole war has at it's initiation
secured so little success.
There is no doubt that our own and
the French troops are giving a good
account of themselves. and the Italians
have been fighting throughout with the
highest courage and the most marked
tenacity: The Italian higher command
has no fear of the result. The danger
Is not yet over, but the government
can express admiration and gratitude
to the Italians for the share they have
taken in the general struggle"
Speaking Of the Western front. Mr..
Bonar Law said that British and
French headquarters knew the posi-
tions to which the German divisions
were being sent before the commence
msnt OF the offensive on March 21. He
admitted that the attack had attained
an amount of success, which had
caused the utmost anxiety.
Confidence Not Shaken
But" he added, "three months have
passed, and although the battle is a
continuous one we can look back upon
what has happened with some conf
dence.
"In this whole campaign the Ger
mans have had before them three great
objectives. One was Paris< another
was the channel ports; the third was
not only the defeat, if they could
achieve it, of the Allied army. but the
breaking of the communications be-
tween the British and French forces.
Although the Allies have had to give
much ground not one of the enemy's
strategic objects has been attained.
Il think if any one in the early days
of the struggle had suggested to Hin
denburg that after three months the
position would be what it is to-day he
would have treated the suggestion with
scorn. There is clear and increasing
evidence in the German press that
they are becoming disappointed with
the situation"
con the other hand. if we coule
have foreseen three months ago wha1
=thc position is now, our anxiety woult
have been less"
Where Germans Won and Lost
The Chancellor classed the battle O
st. Quentin and the first battle of thu
l4ys as great German successes. Will,
the battle OF Arras was one in which
the British were entirely victorious
The same was true of the second phas,
of the battle Of the Lys,
Regarding that part of the line helt
by the French, he said the first at
III
mans, but that later an immense at
tack was started which entirely fsilet
in its object
The offensive Of March 21," he con
unued. has brought about unity O.
command. which results have justified
me long continued battle must be ;
question of reserves. The great sourc,
OF Allied reserves is America, and i
is, undoubtedly part of the Germa,
n
oefore they can be reinforced from
america. But in this they have no
succeeded.
VI wish it were possible to tell tn
house the number of troops whicl
since March 21 have been sent from
TINS country to strengthen our owl
FORCES. 1T is large number, but, a
! nave said, the main source of tn
AIMED reserves is America"
Proud of British Airmen
Mr.. Bonar Law said he wished i
were possible to attract the genera
notice OF the country and tabulate IL
some way the work Of the air service
There was no branch of British eff
Tort In the war Of which the peo
pie had greater reason to be proud
II had played throughout magnificent
part not only in assisting the British
troops. but in helping Italy. ans
especially the French in their Ion,
struggle.
The submarine menace wear ar,
appeared to be the greatest danger tn,
Allies had to cope with and was re
garded by the Germans as a mean
to victory, he said. All that was nov
changed. he declared. The shippin.
figures which would be published thi,
week would show that the world
ship construction for the first time ex
ceedcd the destruction. There was n,
chance whatever, SO far as huma,
1aresight could divine, of the countr,
being starved into submission. and tha
confederation had an important effec
on the military position.
The Chancellor again referred to tn
unendIng stream of American troop
coming across the water. and said i
would continue until the wnole man
power Of America. IL necessary, woul,
be thrown into the scale. What ha,
already been done and had been az
ranged for showed clearly that the ex
tent Of American military co6peratioi
on the battlehelds Of France would NO
b limited By transport. but only b.
the number " trained men avsilsble.
Ihst was the great fact Of the pres