Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-10-02

tsh and French in Arras sector, the French
in Champagne are making a converging at
tack wholly similar. A progress of a score
Of miles on either front might compel the
Germans to straighten their lines as Mack
ensen's success at Lublin forced the Russians
to abandon Warsaw. Such an operation
would mean the retreat to the Belgium
frontier and the Jess of all but thin strip
of the French territory now held
Take any map of the war districts of
Belgium and northern France and from Ar
ras draw line east from the Champagne
draw another north. Before they meet about
Namur they viii cut all the railroad lines,
which maintain the Germans in France
Long before any armies had covered the
ground indicated by these lines tho Ger
mans would have retreated to escape en-
velopment, as the Russians retired, first from
Warsaw and then from Brest- -Litovsk. There
is not the smallest prospect that the Ger
mans will be enveloped, but the threat would
be sufficient II carried forward a few miles
to clear most of France.
Looking Down From the Hills
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 Bassee-Arras
highway and dominated Lens from Hill No
70, which is a 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 OF Lens, and cut the
Lens-Arras highway three miles south of
Lens. This town is then more than half
surrounded by allied troops, who hold the
hills commanding 1t. II the positions taken
can be held against the German counter
attacks It's evacuation is assured.
To the north La Bassee has been trans
formed 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 q semi
circle about this town. But the half circle
is wider. and the Germans are less likely
to withdraw here II no more ground Is lost
by them. But their hold has been graveIy
weakened. Further successes will mean a
German retreat both from Lens and La Bas-
see and general allied advance toward the
Lille-Douai-St. Quentin Railroad
II the Allies ever get astride this road, be-
tween Douai and Cambria, German with
drawal from France is next to inevitable
II they pass 1t north OF Douai the evaoua-
tion OF Lille is likely to follow because In
both cases German lines of communication
will be gravely imperiled. II the French are
stopped now to the south and the British n
the north of Lens, and this ,own 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 the same fashion in the Chamnapra
sector the French have stepped out of their
lines and covered half the distance to the
Challerange-B -Bazancourt Railroad. which %
within two miles and a half of their presant
front. One more push and they win he
astride OF this railroad and in the rear OF
the Germans who are holding the forts
north and east Of Rheims. They win also
be on the nank of the Germans with tbe
crown Prince In the Argonne Such a gain
held VIII end the attack upon both Rheims
and Verdun. The present gain held yv,I,
threaten both German operations ana roolra
the use OF the railroad exceedingly difacu,t
But until the French are able to reach .ho
railroad their operation will have Iass g.,
Lens. ABOUT