The Taihape Daily Times. AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE SATURDAY, MAY 25, 1918. THE MUCH-DELAYED DRIVE.

Taihape Daily Times, 25 May 1918, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times. AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

SATURDAY, MAY 25, 1918. THE MUCH-DELAYED DRIVE.

(With which is Incorporated The £a? hape Post and Walcvamo News)..

All the chief sources of news from the West front have given reasons for the inactivity of the German army. Three weeks ago it was cabled that the great offensive was to commence any hour, and still the guns are silent. Yesterday, a message from the United States informed us that General Bridges, head of the British Military Mission in America, had stated formally that the great German drive would probably begin en the first of June, around Ypres and in the vicinity of Hazebrouck. A subsidiary drive towards Amiens is also expected; but this timing of -the beginning has every appearance of being another guess, as there is not the slightest indication given as to how the conclusion was arrived at. The fact is that no one seems to know what it is that is causing the holders of the leash from lotting their dogs of war loose. The dogs themselves do not appear to be straining at all anxiously, but when the leashes are eventually slipped, the dogs will be whipped up into a fury that may give the Allies considerable trouble. There is, General Bridges tells the Americans, a million and a-half of German bayonets; in addition, there is sure to be a huge force of cavalry, specially trained to make the most of any breach that may be made in the Allied lines, together with huge masses of artillery of improved mobility, But what is delaying the fight is what everybody, perhaps excepting General Foch and Hindenburg, is wondering about. Germany had all the winter to prepare, and although the massed divisions were knocked out of recognition in March, it should have been possible to get them into battle array again long ere this. The food situation must go on getting worse till late autumn; there should not be any shortage of munitions, in fact everything seems to be against delay and yet the blow does not fall. It is something of very great moment that is holding the curtain from going up, and we are inclined to tbe view that arrangements have been interfered with and new ones have had to be made. From disclosures incidentally made it looks as though Hindenburg had prepared one of his triune attacks, and that two of them were unwilling or unable to materialise. General Bridges told the .Americans that Germany was insisting that Austria should start a simul-" taneous drive against Italy, but that Austria refuses unless a German army participates. The third attack was" to be made in the form of a revolution in Ireland, but both these crutches that Germany had requisitioned to enable a limp into victory, are broken, Austria will not act and Ireland cannot act. Respite these failures the Germans would not delay the great drive for victory if they thought they had strength sufficient to carry it through. Fvery man that can be put on the Western front is there and yet there is not enough unless the Allies can be weakened by simultaneous attacks elsewhere. Wc cannot help thinking that Germany has calculated and reasoned the 1 present offensive proposals out most exhaustively 1 , and that it has been found that with either victory or defeat Germany must fail to secure final mastery. General Bridges tells us that if the Western drive results in stalemate Hindenburg will transfer what is left of his usable troops to the Italian front; we would like to feel sure that this transfer has not already .commenced. What General Bridges has told the Americans is too circumstantial and unsatisfying from a news point of view, a lot is suggested but nothing definite is stated. The New York Times' correspondent in France has advised his paper that Germany has withdrawn her crack troops for final training in shock attacks; will these troops come back to

the West or be sent to Italy? Has } Hindenburg decided :that the job in France and Belgium is too big for his men to face, and, in consequence, is diverting them to Italy for a back-door blow? The fact that it is known to the Allies that German crack troops have been withdrawn is evidence that Foch is being kept fairly well informed of enemy movements. With the information at hand it is quite impossible to form an approximate idea of the cause of German delay, unless it is the failure. of Austria and the collapse, by discovery, of revolution in Ireland. German soldiers and munitions were to be in readiness to land in Ireland, and from General Bridges' statement it seems reasonable to assume that the German plans have been quite upset, rendering reorganisation necessary. The Kaiser boasts that he knows his enemy to the last depths, but "there is no hurry for the fruits of victory." If left too long they may be found rotten. Wilhelin says, "We shall acomplish our task on the West front; this is surer to-day than ever." We know that he would 4ike to rule the world and all the peo--1 pie in it, but we do not know what the task is that is specially referred to. We wonder where Mackensen's army of manoeuvre is. and why Wilhelm is not in a hurry for the fruits of victory. We think the delay of the much-her-alded offensive is the contemplated state of enervation the German army would be left in which ever way the sway of battle went. The Allies have their backs to the wall, only negligible ground will be given, and that only after the most terrible slaughter of the exposed attackers. Wilhelm is aware that he is sending the last of his dependable soldiery against a stubborn and very powerful foe that will fight to the last man, and he does not relish risking the result. He knows his enemy to the greatest depths and he hesitates. A drive into Italy would be a less strain on his man-power, and a peace might come through a crippled, beaten Italy that would permit of a future war. But there is America still to consider; Am. ericans can continue to send their millions, and Britain will never give in while she has a ship afloat. Look at the perplexing position which ever way one will, it seems that. German armies will eventually be compelled to return within their pre-war frontiers. It is .evident that General Bridges expects a stalemate as the result of the drive that is ..to. come about the first of June, and General Smuts furnishes the rest in saying that Germany will have, fought to. a standstill and will be prepared to concede terms.