To make successful attacks on lines entrenched in the modern
fashion celerity is essential. You must not only break the line, but you must break it quickly, and then push on so rapidly that the enemy cannot make new defences. The possibility, however, of any such rush tactics at Verdun passed away two and a half months ago. But, it will be asked, " why, if that is so, have the Germans been hammering their heads all this time against Verdun ? They are not fools, and they must have some good reason for what they are doing." They have, we believe, no reason except the very potent one of fear. They dare not admit even to themselves that they have failed morally, if not physically, at Verdun. They go on attacking because to give up would be a confession of failure. Again, they attack because they must do something—it is their rule of war—and they cannot think what else to do. And here we will venture to call the attention of the German General Staff to a Spanish proverb : " If you knock too long on a closed door the Devil will come and open to you." General Joffre is not muoh like the Devil either in mind or body, but for all that we may yet see him give an appropriate, if unexpected, application of the proverb.
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