The Taihape Daily Times. AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 1928. A HEAVIER BLOW NECESSARY.

Taihape Daily Times, 25 April 1918, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times. AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 1928. A HEAVIER BLOW NECESSARY.

(With which Is Incorporated The F*Xhapo Post and WaliwaiWo News).

What many German prisoners say and what the German press states about what is to happen in the near future is very doubtful evidence, and certainly not what any great importance can be attached to. Nevertheless, it may indicate, if not the trend of action, then of the general feeling pervading the German people. Prisoners say that leave in the army is to commence again in May, and this is taken to mean that Germany expects decision at arms before then, or that the present offensive will be*, abandoned. Of course, it may, or it may not, mean either; it will be quite safe to put it in the category to winch Hindenburg's boast of being in Paris by first of April belongs. German newspapers give something more tangible upon which to centre our thoughts. We have had experience of similar choruses from the enemy press, therefore we have the benefit of some practice in analysing the statements they make. First, there is no question about the true ring of dissatisfaction with the opening of the 1918 season, and with what results have been achieved for the loss of life and munitions sustained. There is visible a deep chagrin and disappointment; there is also a great and unmistakeablo lack of confidence in the future, for almost with one voice the press of Germany is counselling the people not to expect too much. The volume of oost is now becoming known through the stories related by the many thousands of wounded that arc perforce being taken to German hospitals! Theso wounded men are telling of the hundreds of thousands that are wounded so seriously that they have /to remain in hospitals nearer the battlefields,; and that despite the use of all temporary hospitals there is still not enough room to accommodate them, and a deep sadness is falling upon the whole nation. The enemy press frankly admits that nowhere is the French and British front broken, and that if it is to bo broken it will require a blow very much heavier than any that has yet fallen. We do not believe a greater blow is possible; Germany organised the maximum of that force of which she was capable. The blow struck was to be the possible maximum; to have risked anything else is unthinkable as the war—victory or defeat —depended entirely upon that first blow rapidly struck against what resistance the Franco-British had to withstand it. We may be sure that if it had been possible to strike a heavier blow, that heavier blow would have fallen, the objective was so important and its attainment so vital that it would have (been madndss M;o attempted it with anything less than the country's maximum effort. The Kaiser knew that the future of the house of Hohenzollern depended upon that blow, and Hindcnburg was well aware that failure to achieve success meant death to the German military party and good-bye to all hope of world hegemony. The stake for which militarism had entered the lists was top great for either Hindcnburg or his master to exert anything less than the extreme limit of the strength that could be marshalled. They brought guns and muntions from Russia, much of which was made for Russia in England, America and Japan; they depleted the Italian front of all Germans, and of very nearly all the guns and munitions that had been gathered for an offensive against Italy, and when Hindcnburg looked at the total accumulation he felt sure it would carry him into Paris by the first of April, and he said so. That was the most serious miscalculation Germany has yet made since that which involved the world in war. Can Germany strike that heavier blow which German newspapers state is necessary to succeed? One journal says extraordinary rumours are prevalent regarding exaggerated German successes which have been spread for the purpose of preventing depression amongst the masses that may result from disappointments that are yet to come. It is stated by another leading newspaper that it is impossible to estimate German losses, but, it adds, it is not necessary to assume they are enormous. It admits the Allies' resistance is hardening and it is apologetic in saying the victory was difficult owing to unfavourable weather. The Frankfort Zeitung attacks Hindcnburg even, for prompting the Reichstag to boom a harder peace campaign. Germany is cursed with a military that insists upon managing politics, while the greatest curse with the Allies is that politicians will persist in managing the conduct of the war. Germany has commenced an attack in the Ancrc Valley, but whatever may come of it there is at present no.

indications of it ever assuming the , magnitude of force "d-Jsp'-uycd v.: t::.

initial thrust to separate' French f;o:r. English, or of thp.t later- inStfto to reach Boulogne and -Calais. German newspapers have virtually that unless that heavier blow is forthcoming Germany is beaten. In the" meantime the Allies are notably busy both on land and sea; there is active preparation for some great event or events to follow. In the Zurich Post a German expert says that the Germans are not able to hinder the carefully planned deployment of British and French reserves. He also remarks that German continuance of violent attacks demands immense sacrifices. It was those reserves that Germany sought to render useless that they now so much fear; they, are perfectly, well aware that those reserves will strike somewhere, and that they will strike with telling force at an undiscovered yet vital point. From enemy as well as friend we are made aware that there are reserves —a great army of movement —that is biding its time; that it has been reinforced with two hundred thousand Italians, and that there are reliable indications that it numbers at least a million of fresh, picked troops, trained in the science of manouvre, or open warfare. When it is set in motion the pace will be fast; it will probably be heralded by heavy artillery work, and it will be accompanied on its mission by a huge army of airfighters, which will lead the way, killing, destroying, striking fear, disorganisation and demoralisation into the enemy as it goes. Foch has consistently urged that and not submarines would win the war, therefore one cannot imagine any great bid for victory by Foch that does not include an army of airfighters. Foch's blow will be most likely to fall at the moment German military leaders think they are nearest to victory; for that moment we have to wait. British sea forces have demonstrated the possibility of landing an army on the Belgian coast. British sailors landed and effected the scaling up of important submarine and destroyer bases by sinking a number of. old ships filled with concrete, and it seems that preparations are feverishly being made for some, future event of much more than ordinary import and magnitude. ." . ; .