New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-03

Where the Attacks Are
Being Made and What
the Allies Are
Aiming At.

payne uTdW duOlueJ HOftH DelOIc tnty
meet about Namur they will cut all tho
railroad lines which maintain the Ger.
mans in France. Long before any armies
had covered the ground indicated by these
lines the Germans would have retreated
to escape development, as the Russians re-
tired, first from Warsaw and then from
Brest-Litovsk. There is not the smallest
prospect that the Germans will be en-
yeloped, but the threat would be sufficient
if carried forward few miles 20 clear
most of France.
What Has Been Accomplished.
Looking now to what has been accom-.
plished, it will be seen that the British
in their first attack pushed east, south
of La Bassee, until they cut the La Bas-
see-Arras highway and dominated Lens.
from Hill No. 20, which is mile north OF
the city and two miles south of Loos,
which the British also captured. At the
same time the French pushed east, south
three miles south Of Lens. This town is
then more than half surrounded by Allied
troops, who hold the hills commanding it.
If the positions taken can be held against
the German counter attacks its evacuation
is assured.
To the north La Bassee has been
transformed into second salient, because
the British were already east Of it, on the
north, and their advance TO the Lens-La
Bassee highway to the south has drawn
semicircle about this town. But the half
circle is wider, and the Germans are less
likely to withdraw here If no more ground
is lost by them. But their hold has been
gravely weakened. Further successes will
mean a German retreat both from Lens
and La Bassee and general Allied adj
vance toward the Lille-Douai-St. Quentin
Railroad
II the Allies ever get astride this road,
between Douai and Cambria, German
withdrawal from France is next to in
evitable. II they pass it north Of Douai
the evacuation of Lille is likely TO follow
because in both cases German lines OF
communication will be gravely imperillcd
If the French are stopped now TO the
south and the British TO the north Of
Lens, and this town falls, the Allies will
still have taken a long forward movement
toward the railroads possession of which
is vital to German resistance in France.
not merely at the points assailed, but far
to the south along the Aisne front.
In Champagne.
In the same fashion in the Champagne
sector the French have stepped out Of
their lines and covered half the distance
to the Challerange- Bazancourt Railroad,
which is within two miles and half OF
their present front. One more push IKE
the first, and they will be astride of this
railroad and in the rear of the Germans
who are holding the forts north and east
of Rheims. They will also be on the flank
of the Germans with the Crown Prince in
the Argonne. Such a gain held will end
the attack upon both Rheims and Verdun.
The present gain held will threaten both
/ German operations and make the use Of
the railroad exceedingly difficult. But un-
Ill the French are able TO reach the rail
road their operation will have less immc.
diate value than that of the British about
Lens.
Drive or Nibbe?
Such in brief is the history Of the west
err campaign from the Battle Of the
Marine to the latest offensive. Such are
the geographical elements in the problem.
The present operation may be the long
heralded grand offensive. 1t may be q
drive, the drive. 1t may be one more Of
the local operations Joffre christened
"nibbles."
There are political reasons why the
smallest success might be of infinite aj-
vantage to the Allies. The stiffening of
Russian resistance might DC signal TO
England and France to give help to their
ally by forcing the Kaiser to recall corps
from the east before Riga has been capt
ured.
In Sofia, Bucharest and Athens the lat
est bulletins make for thoughtful exami-
nation of national interests in the light OK
new evidence. Even Berlin and Vienna
may read the news with some realization
that while Russia is still unconquered,
there are other enemies TO be dealt with.
All these things were doubtless in the
minds of those who ordered the new attack.
II may be political effort, it may be
] local demonstration. u nav nroYe Tho