New-York tribune., 1919-12-21

winch the all-important part played by
sight. ~
The period Of attrtion coincided, in
tact, with a period Of weakness for the
Aiiles, which was the result Of their
incomplete preparation for war. To the
oattiefields of 1914 the Entente had not
brought more than a British army of
SIX divisions aud French army lack
ing in the artillery and munitions re-
CURED Tor modern warfare.
With these inadequate means We
certainly did stem the invasion in the
hrst year, but so long 'as the shortage
IN our electives and material was not
made good, We were not in a position
to undertake the long sustained. offen-
slve which alone could force decision
oy arms. We we're limited to local
ana spasmodic engagements, and the
best that could be done WAS to en-
deavor to coordinate them as to SPACE
and time
Cause of Poor Results
That is the explanation of the poor
results obtained up to tho year 1917.
Happily for the Entente the enemy
was obliged during these years to cope
with the Russian and then with the
Rumanian armies in the East. Conse-
quently he had employed on the West
ern front only part Of his forces,
insufficient to gain definite victory,
or had put into operation, as at Yer
dun, only narrow and limited con-
ception of the offensive The result
ing weakness Of the two opposing lines
threatened to prolong for some time
to come what has been called the war
hot ct~
marked and unsustained advantages.
which wears out both armies without
bringing gain to either-a war without
result. If a war is to end in victory.
1t must always be given a character
different from this.
I'm the course of this struggle for u
decision "a necessary phase, be it said
Germany freed herself Of the Eastern
front in 1917 by means of the Russian
Revolution and the Treaties of Brest-
Ltovsk and Bucharest. And when she
turned the mass of her formidably
equipped armies. more thar 200 divi-
sions strong, against the Western front
to deliver the violent and, in the first in
stance. victorious attacks on the Somme
IN March. 1918; on the Lys in April, on
the Chemin des Danes In May, on the
Disc in June, and on the Marne in July,
who could perceive the signs of that
fatal attrition, or the dawn of victory
for the Entente?
Dangers Felt by Allies
Where was the advantage elaine d
from the wastage of the German ar
mics during the preceding yearss Was
there no danger that the conflict Of ar
mics even armies of the finest quality
like the British. might end in disaster,
unless they possessed Higher Com
mand capable of dominating the sital
tlon and controlling the turn of events,
able to take the troops in hand again,
to reorganize and so dispose them that
they might first bring the enemy to q
standstill, then attack him with such
violence, dash, and such repeaed blows
as were never surpassed?
AT every stage both higher COM
mand and stats proved more than
equal to their tasks. Thanks to tho
activity they were to display after the
German attacks in the spring Of 1918,
and in spite Of the losses suffered,
more than sixty British divisions. ten
times the number in 1914, were to be
kept in fighting order until the end Of
the year; and their morale was to be
better than ever. Lines of resistance
we're multiplied before Amiens, Arras.