The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 1915. ATTRITION TACTICS IN WARFARE.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 June 1915, Page 4

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 1915. ATTRITION TACTICS IN WARFARE.

The policy of wearing down a heavier opponent is one that is frequently adopted with success in connection with many of the competitions tliat take place in the arena of sports. That it posses.se* many advantages is obvious, the chief one being that provided the lighter opponent is ready .for the psychological mo: nient ill which to take advantage of his opponent's spent force lie can dasli in for victory. That the same system should he followed in warfare docs not at all follow as a matter of course, Imt there can be 110 doubt of its ellieacy under such circumstances as have arisen in the present war. It must be remembered that Germany chose, her own time for declaring war, and during a period of forty years had been steadily making every preparation for world conquest by brin</mg her enormous army and icserves into tlie highest state of efficiency, by securing the latest ami best devices thai, science could procure in tlie furtherance of the deeply-laid scheme of aggression, and in accumulating a vast store of equipments and foodstuffs for the use of her forces 011 land and sea. How thoroughly and completely this huge organisation was carried out ive know, just as we now realise the extent of the world-wide system of espionage tliat furnished tl'.e German Intelligence Department with the. most complete details concerning every matter in conmiction with other nations that would lie of service when war took place. 11l addition to this the patriotism of the Ceriinnis was continually being fostered and stimulated by visions of the allpowerful ' destiny which awaited the

Fatherland when the Kii is or lifted his baud for the subjugation of tli<- universe. When, therefore, 11m sipml was given (o 11 n■ 11:"11 11!i 1 dor's oi w:>r. ' lorniaVP: wiw akin l» a gigantic (!;•'>! im; j ill,. motive parts "• which wore kcyi: I ~,, In a scientific nicely. This is what the Allh s had 1" face--and more, for in- • I,.:!,! a ••ivilNtl <>f warriors who prided (hem-elves mi jnv i!.c liiclw-t- culture. they Itaii to contend with iarti: s that wolll.i Imvo slia-n----c(L bei'liur'aii-- occupying the low"-d. plane in human hi-1 "ry. With millions of nu'ii at his t-io Kaiser mail.' a dash for Pari-, hut i hanks (o "t ht■ tra" eouik'Uf lira of the 1 'I'.;' 1 :! {!■(• wa- w-.'s S,,M/n-bally '.Mig to enable the 1 hel;i'h M!.l Ih'ii i' 1 r i• > rrme f„, ....... ] | )] c lairwh. Whiter v,';'.-- app"oa hin.'j'. : M,( i tin' Abe, i " ih'o li, sell!.- il-.wn i" ■' 'iirnw-'--i!.,. b<- illflirtiwr a- I' !"~ s ;;s j,n--ll'ie '.'."hili" con-erving I! oe- own ,f„ r i.,.:. T' •".'(' ba v e been heavy em'agel.ir: i- . 11.1 a; "I' : V- eh life, j . i,n|. 111,, p.'iii! 1',:::"." a, ,'ar ha . hi-'M ore | , of o!; -ill :■!. -I'h"-" w» ~ -rr.r- any | ; a«.T!iat'.vf lo ;!•<• i-Vnlhut of '.bat p»-* . licv. Britain anil France were totally

of Quality either in regard to men' or munitions, so tliat until they had made up leeway they wove at a great disadvantage. Tlio men have come forward splendidly, but the munitions have been the one weak link iu the chain. While Germany has been indulging in rushing tactics, pouring forward host after host of men in solid formation, and discharging millimis of tons of explosives, shrapnel ancl lead, the Allies have wisely possessed their souls in patience, knowing that their time would come when Germany was experiencing the rebound of exhaustion. It is for that .moment tlu Allies are preparing, and for which they need a supply of munitions that will be absolutely sufficient and to spare, On the eastern front the Russians have been adopting similar tactics. At one time making a threatening advance, and then luring the enemy on while a retreat was made to consolidate the forces and enable a powerful blow to be delivered. .Vrain and again this strategy lias been cewiied 'with success, and latest advices indicate that Russia is oncoi more pursuing the same tactics and awaiting the more favorable moment 'for ■hammering the German 'hosts on tile Russian' anvil. Germany's losses have been prodigious, ami 'both the effective strength and morale'of her trpops bave suffered appreciably, while the 'Allies' strength and confidence is daily increasing. The question is, How long can the strain be. endured? Time will show. Meanwhile we may rest assured that the ultimate crushing of the German military octopus will toe accomplished and a lasting peace inaugurated.