The Verdun news continues good. We are now approaching the
hundred and fiftieth day of battle, and still the French hold on. The German attacks, though pressed with a ruinous disregard of losses, grow less and less effective. The High Command think that it is good policy to continue thrusting hard at Verdun, in the first place because if by any chance they were to obtain a nominal success it might invigorate the drooping spirits of the German people, for that at the moment is the great preoccupation of the German Government. Further, they hope that pressure at Verdun may keep the French from being too active in front of Peronne. We may add that they no doubt find it very difficult to disengage themselves from the French. You cannot stop a battle as you do a taxi-cab. That being so, a vigorous offensive is probably the best way of making the best of a bad job.
