Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-02-26
Repington Takes Forbidding
Outlook on MasSing Of Ger
man Troops Along the Front
in West.
PREMIER WITHHELD
TRUTH, HE ASSERTS
Demand for More Men in
British Sector Constantly
Growing; Must Be Ready to
Withstand Shock,

(By Lieut. Col Repington, formerly
| the Military Critic of the London
Times, Now Occupying the Same
Position with the London Morning
Post)
! have some things to say to the
| British public, and am going to say
them without mincing matters, be-
cause they concern the safety OF our
! armies and the success of our cause
The Germans have now accumulated
! 1865 divisions in the west, and have
already more divisions on THE west
ern front than all the allies COM
! bined excluding the Italian thea'er.
| These 1876 divisions are being In
creased at the rate of seven to flf-
teen divisions month, and may he
expected to grow to 200 or 220 di-
visions within the time taken to con-
centrate them. The Germans alone
may have superiority OF some fifty
divisions when the necessary time
has elapsed, but may attack at an
earlier date, partly in order to fore
stall the arrival of allied and partic-
ularly American troops. and partly
because the internal condition OF
Germany may call loudly for an carly
decision. The arrival Of some Aus
trian forces is to be anticipated, and
| news has already come in of the APP
pearance OF Austrian troops In Bel
GUM. With all these reinforce
ments. there will COME mass or
guns and particularly Of heavy guns.
in which arm the enemy is likely to
| have the advantage.
Nobody outside the German main
| Headquarters knows for certain what
| the plan is, and whether thi1 ini-
| mense force is accommodating for the
purpose of supporting negotiations
for grand attack. But certainly all
the evidence can obtain. including
that of the German press for wb1
| II is worth, points to the impending
| delivery of a series of great attacks
and in any case our business is to be
prepared for 1t. Very likely the
question whether there should ba
this grand attack or not has formed
| the subject of anxious investigation
since the losses are certain 70 be ini-
mense, but such evidence as theresis
points to the probs bility of the at
! tack taking place. H. Is the year OF
the decision, and the great trial OF
the nerves and courage OF govern
nlents, people. navios and armies Is
az hand.
Our Allies.
| We cannot expecz that either Eel
gum or Pormgal can much increase
their contingcn.s with our armies.
I,sly is ran l,y recovering herself,
,rl should be aUIc TO withstand a
| ruiely Austr, M attack IN Ady when
| the Tyrol will u more ac. essi, % for
Austr an co;prl -. But the line on
which the ltpian armies stand does
| not appeal u me. The American
| troops are not coming in as fest as
some sanguine estimates foretold,
but l feel sure that General Bridges.
who accompanied Mr.. Balfour to the
United States, must have given the
war cabinet pretty accurate fore
cast. The American army can only
be a contingent during the next few
months, and this is all the more rea-
son why we in this year 1918 should
| place every available man in the
| field. The French armies retain all
their historic and martial qualities.
They are now admirably command
ed, and though they are somewhat
reduced from their old strengths, Nj.
/ Clemenceau's speech on November
| % last shows that this brave old
statesman is calling upon every man.
young and old, despite the great suf-
ferings of France and the fact that
the land of France, which has be-
4 come almost insular, suffers much
from lack of labor, I want to tell
i the people OF England, and partieu-
larry those ministerial polroons who
pleat about our losses. that our total
/ casualties--killed, wounded and
| missing since the war began arc
but little higher than the number OF
the French dead. The only suitable
recognition that we can make of
French heroism is to help them nov
in their hour of need.
/ The British Armies.
i Our valiant British armies In
France have not been adequately
maintained or reinforced since Lord
Kitchener's death. Our war cabinets,
contrary to all the principles OF
strategy. have scattered our avall-
able forces about the world, and new
that the crisis is coming in France
we shall have to pay for these Inn
!, becilities. / give TO political STRAIT
(, egy the first place among the causes
D which have brought about the pres
NJ ent critical situation on the western
D front. Not single trained and com-
! petent soldier that I knew has APP
proved the fatal Dispersion Of our