Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-10-02
THE WEST AGAIN
DRIVE OR NIBBLE?
The Background Of the News of the
Fighting in Champagne and
Around Lens-A Week of
Great Importance
BY FRANK H. sIMoNps


known front between the city Of Rheims and
the Argonne. Day after day the cables talked
more and more of the desperate nghtlng
about villages little known. and even for the
possession Of farmhouses, which acquired as
evil fame rs that of Chateau of Hougomont
at Waterloo. The object Of the French effort
was little appreciated; the fact that 25O,O0O
men were fighting on either side was not re-
vealed until many days after the EFFORT had
ended in practical failure despite Incidental
gains.
But far at the other end of the line, In
March, there suddenly broke out that British
effort which instantly filled the press and the
imagination OF the world. After a sudden
bombardment n large British force struck the
German lines between La Bassee and Lille,
broke through, won clear, and then-some
one blundered the dash to the Aubers Ridge,
which is the key TO Lille, did not come on;
the victory turned out to be the advance Of
mile on four-mile front at a cost to Britain
Of more than she paid in her own blood for
Waterloo
"The Million Myth"
late in April the Germans, using poison
gas for the first time, suddenly crashed
through the line at the point where French
and Canadian troops touched. overwhelmed
up the whole British front and almost
reached Ypres. They failed, but the extent
of their temporary success disclosed to them
and to the observing everywhere the plain
fact that Kitchener's million was a myth.
that British munitions were inadequate, that
the spring drive was never to come.
Finally, in May. the last bid for a spring
gain was made. The French, under Foch.
the brilliant strategist who had won such
reuown at the Marne, after bombardment
in which 100000 shells were used in a brief
time, swept east north Of Arras, took a num-
Der Of villages, crowned the Lorette Heights.
and were almost at the suburbs of Lens. But
again a British failure came to mar the pos
slbility of major success.
The 100000 Mark
After this came the great munition scandal
in England. At last the truth was known,
and England, six months too late, began to
mobilize her industries. But the spring had
passed, the drive was impossible, and Ger
many had turned east to dispose Of Russia.
This she never could have done had Kitch-
ener's million been ready or British supplies
Of munitions comparable with French From
June to late September the war in the west
has been a war of outposts and snipers save
for an occasional French dash in the Vosges
Meantime, British ammunition was accumu-
lating and British troops on the Continent
increasing, until they have now passed the
100000 mark.
Turning now to the geography of the
western front 1t is simplest to begin by
dividing this whole front into a few sectors
and discussing these in x 'rn. These sectors
are Ypres, Arras, Aisne, Champagne, Ar
gonne. Verdun, Lorraine and Vosges. OF
these only the first four are interesting at
the moment
To. begin with the Ypres sector: This ex-
tends from the North sea at Nieuport to
the canal at La Bassee On tho west any
offensive operation is impossible because OF
the inundated districts, which the Belgians
flooded to check the Germans in the Battle
Of the Yser About Ypres the Germans have
crowded the British down hill and hold all
the slopes. To the east, in a wide circle.
the forts of Lille, dismantled by the French
and rebuilt by the Germans. close the road.
To the south the Aubers Ridge, east OF
Neuve Chapelle and the works at La Bassee.
offer obstacles that have blocked all attack.
In the narrow gap between the User and
the Lys east Of Ypres, It is conceivable that
the British might make an advance, but
they would encounter a number of fortified
lines and their efforts would not menace
the main position OF the Germans In France,
which is the first objective. To attack Lille
is impossible. because the French would
oppose a bombardment destroying the town.
Hence the operations between the sea and
the La Bassee Canal have been of little
moment since the British failed at the Au-
bers Ridge in the spring.
An Attractive battle-ground
But to the south from the La Bassee
Canal to the somme River, on a front of
perhaps 40 miles. with Arras the central
point, is an attractive place for an attack,
and here things are happening In May and
June the French cleared the Lorette heights
and pushed east 10 within four miles of the
important railroad and mining town OF
Lens around which the Franco British
forces are trying to throw a moose The
Allies are striving for control OF the main
highway, from La Bassee TO Lens and Arras
which the Germans use for reinforcing
their lines. II would win Lens, the most
important railroad centre from Lille 70 the
Oise on the German front
Behind Lens there is no really good stand
ing point, regard being had to railroad COM
smunications. until Douai an, Cambria are
reached. II the Allied advance could be
pushed to this point then the whole western
side of the German elbow I France ana
Belgium would be threatened. because the
French would bo almost In sight Of the lines
which supply the Germans far to tho south