PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 218, 3 June 1918, Page 4

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

According to the ' latest news available at time of writing the Germans are still vainly attempting to open out the western flank of the salient they have thrust forward to the Marnc. As a London message points out, they, have a tempting objective before them in the main'railway which runs across France from Paris to Nancy, but this line is twenty miles ahead of their maximum 'point of advance,, and will hardly be approached while tho. Allies maintain their present pressure on either flank of the enemy's advance. Their advance to Chateau Thierry and other • places on the Marnc has given the Germans command'of one of two railways connecting Paris with Chalons-sur-Marne, but though this is a serious loss, the Paris-Nancy railway is very much more important. Some comments upon the importance of Soissons and Reims as railway centres are made to-day by Geneuaii Maurice, but his statement of the railway facilities the Germans will gain from holding Soissons and tho further advantages under this hf.sd they will gain if they capturo Reins seems to call for the remark that possession of these railway centres does not necessarily imply ability to make free use of the railways vbich converge upon them. So long as tho French lines are wrapped (h.soly about Soissons it is not likely to be of much use to- the enemy as a railway centre, and the same would apply to Reims, if it should be captured by the enemy, unless he gained-not only the junction but a sufficient margin of territory beyond to protect it frcm bombardment, *.* * #

North-west 'of ' Soissons tho French have evacuated :i salient formed in their line by the enemy advance on that place, but .attacks on their new front, which runs northwest from near Soissons, past Epagny and Blcra'ncourt to the Oisc, havo been repelled. The enemy's abortive attempt to cross the Oiso at Scmpigny aimed at outflanking tho new French front between that river and Soissons. The French counterattacks on 1 the front south of Soissons have had the effect of holding tho enemy on a front extending almost due south from that place to the Marne at Chateau Thierry. A German message just received lays general claim to success, but in i'ts details—even if it ,is accepted at its face value—involves no serious modification of the statement that the enemy is held,on a north and south lino between Soissons and Chateau Thierry. Concentrating enormous forces in attack, the enemy has thus far failed _to break through this front, and it is evident that as a result his attack in its total scope is seriously hampered.

* * * * Frenoh^comments on the situation arts _ in the main buoyant and hopeful in tone. There is noUraco of repining over the fact that the enemy has again been enabled to enlarge his area of occupation in France, but some commentators are urging that the reply to the enemy's onslaught should bo a vigorous offensive at tho earliest possible moment. It is possible that the. moment for action on these lines is in fact near at hand, but it" has not yet appeared that the Allies are wrong in the policy they have opposed to the enemy's reckless bid for victory, and' it would be a great misfortune for France and for all concerned if civilian clamour compelled a departure from military plans. It is for the G( neralissimo to determine when the time to take the offensive has arrived. The broad conditions under which he is working wore admirably summed up recently by M. Biooii, the military critic of the Journal des Debats: "Confronting Hindenbukg (he wrote) the French General wards off blows, economises his forces, and\is biding his time. The duel of these two men will decide tho history of the world. The enemy missed Amiens on March "6 and in a struggle of this kind" a blow missed may become singularly dangerous for its author. The successes gained up to tho present by the enemy have a double effect They give him advantages but place him in an unstable situation, capable of becoming perilous. Completely engaged, he must realise his plans, and resembles a man climbing a difficult mountain between precipices. If he succeeds he will gain a brilliant victory; if ho fails disaster is inovitable. He neither forced the line of tho Lys to tako

Calais nor took Amiens to cud off the Allies at_ Abbeville. In this war success not immediately gained becomes problematical Thai, of the Germans is every day becoming more.so."