The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER MONDAY, APRIL 10, 1916. THE WESTERN FRONT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 6, 10 April 1916, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER MONDAY, APRIL 10, 1916. THE WESTERN FRONT.

The great struggle on the western front continues with unbatod fury, but so far the most reckless sacrifices made by the enemy have availed.nothing. At Verdun the German losses have been tremendous, and any small gains in position the enemy have made have been mostly only of a temporary nature and obtained at a fearful cost. It is quite on the cards as the cables suggest that a big battle is imminent at Ypres, but we may be .satisfied that the Allied forces are quite ready. It was suggested at the beginning of the Verdun struggle that though the British were not very actively engaged at that time, they soon would be. It is abundantly clear that on all sides there is anticipation of a terrific clash of arms before many months have passed. "We are all sensible," .writes an English correspondent, "that the war is approaching a decisive phase. There is an ominous feeling of pause m the struggle, as if the foes are measuring themselves for one supreme effort. We do not know whence it will come or from which side it will come, but so far as the enemy is concerned we may rest assured that Ins blow "ill be aimed at England." This' correspondent goes on to point out that whilst Germany is as far from her goal as ever her "victories" having reached no decision, the armies of England are growing and the sea power of England is tightening the noose about her throat. In Germany itself there is

ever-growing bitterness against Britain, solely and wholly because Britain's aid in the alliance against Germanism has robbed the Hunnish boast of its prey. The amazing speech of Holhweg the Liar indicated quite plainly thp feeling which his party is fostering . against England. Mr Philip Gibbs, the Daily Chronicle war cones-' pondent, discusses this intense bitterness against England. It is certain,

he says, that tlio enemy is aware nl tli.' increasing strength of the British armies on the Western front, They know that our lines In'ive been extended iuul are continually being reinforced by large bodies of trained men. Tliev have seen the constant arrival of ne-.v batteries and the steady increase in the supply of shells, ivhioh during the recent inenths has enabled our gunners to maml-jin a terrible bombardmenl upon their trenches and positions. And lately the passing of compulsion and the steady flow of recruits in England have warned them that as the months pars the forces arrayed against them vrll be too strong to break, whatever strength is left to then;. All those considerations must

! stare in the eyes of the German Gene I ral Staff. But what do they see an: i hear within their own armies ? Ther ■ censors read hundreds of thousands c j soldiers' letter ~ whereas we read c.nh a few rapture;! on German dead anc 1 German prisoners. If these hundred" ; of thousands are anything like the [ few that have fallen into our hand? they must he like a great wail ot rising from tortured souls. Foi these German soldiers, in spite of censorship and discipline, cry out against the intolerable condition; of their life, and against the futility of victory in far places, where there can he no end of the war. while the line stands stationary on the Western front. "If there are piles of corpses.'' wrote one of them, "we must try and break 'through, because otherwise Re is unendurable." The Geiman General Staff watches the wastage of the armies, and has calculated to a day how long* that drain of blood can go on until the end must come. J'itey have watched the morale of their men. weakening and the human material of the armies deteriorating in physique and in training. They know that to ensure a victorious peace they must strike a decisive blow before- t)w human material is utterly used rip.' There are prophets who assert-the war will end with dramatic suddenness, but its. speedy termination does not to-day seem likely. There are probably many mouths of bitter fighting before us. "This year," writes Mr Philip Gibbs, "will bring many great massacres of men, but having seen the strength of our armies and our French Allies, it is inconceivable to me that the enemy should break through on the Western front. Tt is perhaps the last venture of desperate men who must end their business whether they win or lose." That is what horrified civilisation most truly hopes.

break 'through, because otherwise Re is unendurable." The Cieiman General Staff watches the wastage of the armies, and has calculated to a (lay how long*that drain of blood eafl go on until the end must come. J'iiey have watched the morale of their men weakening and the human material of