FRENCH VIEW OF THE WAR.

Taihape Daily Times, 24 April 1918, Page 5

FRENCH VIEW OF THE WAR.

Having regard to, the present military situation, -and speculation as to the use of the French reserves, it is interesting to recall statements made by Mr W. A. Holman, Premier of New •South Wales, after- conversations wijh General Foch and other French soldiers last year. Mr. Holman said, on his return to Sydney, that General Foch had told him that aviation was the hope of the future. It was not to he an adjunct, but an arm to cut off supplies of munitions, and practically render it impossible for a chosen sector of the German line to resist’attack. “If we could not-get round them from the rear,” said Mr_ Holman. He added that -he was in a position to say that in the next campaign adequate steps would be taken to try that means right out. Efforts were being made to see that in the next campaign there would not be a repetition of nibbling bites, inch by inch, out of the enemy’s territory, jmt 'gigantic efforts would be made to surround and absolutely cut off chosen portions of the enemy’s lines, reduce them to a .state of siege, deprive them of munitions, and so cause surrender. Mr. Holman affirmed that the French General Staff believed it was possible to break the German lines. The Allies asked that thq Americans Hhoucl •' relieve France of the guarding of some 300 miles of front along which the French army was scattered. The Americans would take over a certain portion of that line and the British would concentrate their attention upon the remainder. When that was done the entire French army, would be launched on a final, and, as they believed, successful attack upon the German lines whenever they chose. The French believed that when they attacked in mass they could break through the German line in such a way as to compel the entire evacuation of conquered territories^