El Nuevo mexicano., 1917-03-29

to 30 to reach Cambria, and before It gets
to Cambria 1t must be clear whether the
Germans msan' to DEFEND this town or no.
The third British army is moving out of
IPeronne upon LIE catelst. 1t, too. has only
a rslatively short distance to cover before
lft finds out whether the German retreat Is
to be general or limited.
The first French army is coming out of
Roye; It's northern hank. joining the south
ern flank OF the third British army, has
reached and passed Nessle, and its object
i've, st. Quentin, is less than 20 miles east.
A second French army has reached Noyon
and Is moving up the valley Of the Disc,
with La Fera as it's objective. II it reaches
La Fere we shall know that the Germans
are going to make a long retreat, because
La Fere Is the keystone Of the arch OF the
Hindenburg line, as Noyon was Of the old
line, and the dismantled forts of La Fere,
which were once a portion of the second line
Of French defense, would be utilized by the
Germans II they intended to make a stand
between Noyon and the frontier. Finally, a
third French army. based on scissors, has
Laon for its objective, but, like the British
army at Arras, it has made inconsiderable
advance as yet and there remains the prob
lem as to whether the Germans mean to
make any material retirement upon Laon.
or only draw back to the heights and for
est about st. Gobain, between La Fere and
Laon.
We may conclude that IL any city in the
Hindenburg line from D0uai to Laon falls
the Germans nave abandoned the whole
line; we may conjecture, as long as the Ar
ras and Soissons sectors remain stationary,
that the Germans are merely Strengthening
their front between these two cities and
shortening it materially into the bargain.
We can perceive that any retirement from
in front Of Arras or scissors will mean an
extension of the front of the German re-
treat and mean that it will be a withdrawal
on a front from Lille to Rheims, instead OF
from Arras to Scissors.
One may guess as one chooses. The Ger
mans may be going to the frontier. By do-
ing this they would shorten their line by
80 miles, release half a million soldiers and
compel the allies to postpone their great
offensive until after they had constructed
roads and railroads to the new front. But
such a withdrawal would deprive Germany
of the hold she has upon France and have
Ia moral effect at home and abroad that
could not be exaggerated.
On the other hand, the retreat to the
Hindenburg line can be explained as purely
strategic and made In accordance with Ger
man plans. This has a degree Of truth,
and If it were followed by a smashing Ger
man offensive elsewhere might lose impor-
lance in all eyes with little delay. II Ger
many has shortened her line in the center
to enable her to attack in Lorraine or Flan-
<1cru 81 D,rcc,o f1o M hans IN ITALY. and
If she does attack successfully, her retire
ment will have nc material meaning and
will represent a sacrifice of valueless
ground on one front to win a decisive vic
tory elsewhere. Il aas
operation more accurately a little later. Now
it is only possible to estimate its immediate
possibilities, and in doing this 1t is wise no
to magnify too greatly the consequences.
Germany has begun a difficult retreat. Her
main danger does not come through the sur
render Of territory, but through the posi-
bility that she will be unable t ohalt her re-
treat on the line chosen or escape some dis
aster incident to a retreat under such
great pressure and on SO wide q front. The
first test will come when the retreating
Germany armies reach the positions on
which their commanders have chosen to
stand.
Meantime the great problem remains, the
extent of the retreat, and that can be best
determined by following on the map the
names of the successive villages and towns
occupied by the Allies. If the Germans
mean to stand on the Hindenburg line we
shall have some new battle names in short
order, and they will be villages along the
great highways leading from Arras TO
Douai, ,Bampaume to Cambria, Peronne to
lie Catelet. Nesle to st. Quentin, Noyon to
La Fere and scissors to Laon.