BEYOND HOPES OF COMMAND.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 15 August 1917, Page 3

BEYOND HOPES OF COMMAND.

BREAKING FRITZ'S NERVE. In military circles there is a general consensus of opinion that the great battle is going on even more favourably than was anticipated. Any excessive leaning towards an optimism insufficiently based on facts is sternly discouraged and the tendency is rather to dwell on the difficulties that have yet to be overcome before the final victory can be regarded as within sight than to emphasise the brilliant results that have been obtained. In these circumstances the admission made by all competent military authorities that the first days of the battle have been most satisfactory despite the bad weather, and that the importance of the French successes is steadily increasing as the full facts concerning them become known, gams additional weight. It is certain (wrote H. Warner Allen in the "Daily News" on April 20) that the latest news shows that the French success has been far greater and is of more vital consequence, than was suspected during the first half of the week.