NEXT BIG MOTE IN THE WEST.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15195, 16 April 1917, Page 8

NEXT BIG MOTE IN THE WEST.

FRENCH PREPARATIONS FOR ATTACK. With the French Army, Jan. 28. In the case of all previous great offensives on the Western front the Germans knew well beforehand almost exactly when and where the attack would be delivered. The immense preparations which are absolutely indispcnsible before any big advance can be attempted necessarily gave away the secret long before the day fixed upon. As for the time of the assault, that is and must he clearly indicated by the increased activity of the artillery. The work of defending their prepared positions, in any case less costly than the attack, is still further simplified by the almost total elimination of the element of surprise. This is what happened at Loos, in Champagne, and the Somme. The enemy saw what the Allies meant to do and made their preparations accordingly. It was true, too, but to a much less extent, of the last two French advances in front of Verdun. In all these cases the Germans were ready for us. Otherwise we should have gone much further than we did. During the last three months I have been abje to visit practically the whole of the French front., from Dunkirk to Belfort, and everywhere there is the same report to make. As far as I am able to judge, the conditions are such that it would be possible for the French High Command, whenever and wherever they choose, to launch an. attack without giving the enemy more warning than what they must necessarily gather from the increased number of rounds fired beforehand by the artillery at any given point before the attack takes place. And there seems to be no reason why even that amount of notice must be given. It is only a question of ammunition. A simultaneous bombardment all along the front would puzzzlc the most accomplished strategist that the Germans have got on their side. But that is another question. The French are now everywhere in position to do what the Germans, as the resut of their disregard for the treaties they had sworn to abide by, were a.ble to do in the first three weeks of the war but have never been able to do since. They have made such vast preparations behind every part of their line, they have accumulated such vast stores of ammunition and material of all kinds, they have constructed such immense lengths of new roads and railways, that they are now in a position whenever they choose, to prepare an attack on a big scale without showing their hands till the last moment.