New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-11
FRENCH CROWD
BACK FOES LINE

about US and OF events and questions
we call modern.
Soon. perceiving they would have to
fight for their lives for what they hal
won. and knowing especially that Metz
and Lorraine proper could never be
seriously threatened while they held
the line 20 st. Mihiel, the Germans
made every preparation to maintain IT.
They alreaCy held the railway from
Metz TO Thiaucourt and they carried
this line forward 70 st. Mihiel itself.
For some time the French had been
working on the problem. From the
north and south they had steadily en-
croached on both sides. Some weeks
since, after combats OF savage inten-
sity waged BY botn 5eiiigerents, with
every technical resource, but, above all,
by mine and countcTmine, our Allies
stormed the main part Of the hill of
Les Eparges on the very edge Of the
Gotes de Meuse and looking down into
the Woevre.
Big Operation Develops.
Just a few days ago they carried the
res. OF this commanding position. which
cuts or threatens the reads leading out
of the neighboring forest of La Mon
tagre, where the Germans are strongly
intrenched.
About fortnight eco our Allies,
however. began to develop much
greater operations. North and north
east Of Les Eparges. upou the main
roads leading straight out from YER
dun toward Metz. they have carried be
tween Etain and Maizeray several
miles of the ridge which oyerlooks the
valley of the Orme, thence the roads
begin presently to dip toward Contains,
eight or ten miles away, a halfway
house TO Metz ahd one OF The most I'M
pOrtant railway functions on the Ger
man front. From the same positions a
few miles further progress southwark
would threaten Imminently the German
line of retreat. On one side are the
central swamps of the Woevre. There
is equal danger o. worse on the other
side. where our Allies are fighting
northward on a broad front stretching
right across from the river just south
of St Mihiel TO Pont-a- Mousson, on the
Moselle. Here the fighting s almost
entirely in the woods. These have
been turned into barbed 'abyrinths
the Forest Of Apremont. the Forest of
Ally, the Brule Wood and the La
Pretre Forest
French Seizure Important.
The French made a famous step
forward when they captured near the
latter wood the villages OF REGIME
vile, Haye-en-Fay. The former is
only a few miles from another chief
link in the German communications,
the town and railway station Of
Thiaucourt. II the French once get
this. the question for the Germans in
the whole district between Thiaucourt
and St. Mihiel, twenty miles away,
will not be whether they want to re-
treat but whether they can. The Ger
mans solemnly announced when they
lost Regneville and Fey that they
had themselves abandoned these
places in accordance with a pre-
arranged strategIcal plan. Nothing
could be more ostrichlike, or even
Austrian-lIke; or more significant OF
the important nature of the French
success.
AT the same time our allies have
had to pay the full price for every inch
they have gained. Their task might be
hopeless were il not for the .65. which
snaps the trees like match sticks and
blasts through woods CHASTITY spaces
Of stumps and debris. The Germans
are putting up a terrific fight, counter
attacking night and day, regardless of
cost. at every point where they are
pressed. Their bulletins 90 out of
their way to deny that the French are
making any progress.
Reports in Agreement.
II that were so, every one knows
very well. the news would be reported
in a different manner. The reality Of
the gradual French advance on both
sides Of this murderous arena is in
contestable. but it is bound 10 be
slow. Meanwhile, the struggle is
serving more than one purpose. The
Germans are strainlng every nerve TO
prevent a retreat, which would not
only be a signal humiliation, but would
enable the French army 20 form upon
d shorter front facing Metz. The Ger
mans are throwing into this region
reinforcements which they can i'll
spare from other points. Il Is OBJ
yious that when General Joffre has
watched this process for some time
and measured its results there may
be developments elsewhere This Is
partly why We are bound 10 regard the
battle of the Woevre as the beginning
Of other movements which viii extend
INTO q general offensive Of the Allies
In the west. The Allies have the init
atiye once and for all. They have
superiority in numbers, equipment and
supplies, and they are fully prepared
either to develop a full attack at their
own time or 10 receive the German on
slaught anywhere at any time, if the
enemy is still strong and confident
enough 20 adhere to the whole tradi-
ton and practice until recently OF
German military teaching.