Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-16
WINTER CAMPAIGN OF THE ALLIES
Anavsis of the Situation in Northern France Little Difference
Since the Third Week in September "On to Berlinw
VS.. "On to Paris!"
By FRANK II. SIMONDS


THOR nearly two months the official state
L ments of German and French war oitlces
alike have referred almost daily to engage
mcnts in Western Champagne. lie Mesni'
Bcauseiour and Nillc-sur-TOurbc have again
and again been the scenes of desperate COM
bats. Plainly there has been going on IN
this field a major operation. Now the Ger
mans announce it has terminated in French
dcfeat--that the Battle of Champagne has
been a German victory. 1t is, then, an ap-
propriate time to anayze what has probably
been the most important engagement in the
west in 1915,
At the outset it is necessary to review hur-
riedly the situation between the Oise and the
Meuso as it has developed since the great
German invasion was halted at the Marne in
September. At that time three great masses
of Germans were operating between the two
rivers The first, under Won Kluck ap-
preached Paris and then went east and south
The second, under Won Bulow, came south
through Rheims, passed the Marine near
Chaons and was defeated about st. Gond
and Camp de Mai.ly. The third, under the
Crown Prince, passed between the Argonne
and Verdun and was halted about Vitry-le
Francois.
The Deadlock
AS these armies retreated the first took
up the position behind the Aisne, north of
scissors and south of Laon; the second fell
back until it occupied the northern forts
about Rheims; while the third withdrew as
far as Varennes, in the Argonnc When the
retreat halted these three armies established
contact and occupied a front from the Disc,
cast of Noyon, to the Meuse, north of YER
dun.
Won KIuclS repassed the Asne on Septem-
bcr H. and on the next day the British, fol-
lowing took ground about scissors. but were
unable to advance. Three weeks of desperate
lighting in this field resulted in a deadlock
ON October the British army gave up its
trenches to French reserves and entrained
for Belgium, where it presently halted the
German advance about Ypres.
The French troops who replaced the British
pushed their advance against the Germans
made considerable progress west of Craonne
on the Laon road. but were finally heavily
defeated in January, driven across the Aisne
and the whole offensive west of Rheims came
to an abrupt close
In the same fashion the early efforts of the
French who pursued Won Bulow's army from
the Marne were checked in the eastern
suburbs of Rheims This city had been a
fortified place, surrounded by a circle of
forts In their great retreat the French had
dismantled the forts and evacuated them
The Germans in their turn occupied the east
ernmost forts, brougi up heavy artillery
and speedily halted all offensive operations in
this district From the second week in Sep
tember to the present time the German line
here has held solid and German artillery still
bombards Rheims at will
Having failed about Scissors and about
Rheims, there was left TO the French third
possibility Between Rheims and the Argonne
is the great plain of Lhalons. familiar i'm his
tory as the scene of the defeat OF AttIa. The
ArGonne itself is a long range o low hills
rising abruptly from the plain some hundreds
Of feet, perhaps ten miles wide, and thickly
wooded.
Through the passes in this range run sew
eral highways and railroads, three of real
value. The southernmost pass, that near st.
Menehould, carries the Verdun- Paris Rail-
road. Near its western entrance is Valmy,
the scene of the famous Prusslan defeat in
the French Revolution This road the French
hold Some ten miles to the north Is the
second pass that Of Grand Pre-. Possession
of this was and is contested by the opposing
forces, but IT remains chiefly in German
hands.
Finally some six miles further north. is
Vouziers, at the western end OF the upper
pass. Through this comes the railroad from
Sedan. one of the life lines of the Germans
in France. Just south Of Vouzlers this line
leaves the Vozlers-st Menehould line. and,
turning west, touches the Rheims -CharIeville
Railroad north Of Rheims.
Strategy of the French
The object of French strategy in this
operation was to move north until French
troops crossed and cut the Youziers line,
thus destroying one Of the two lines Of sup
ply for the Germans about Rheims At the
Same time occupation OF Grand Pre- and