New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-29
Between Arras and Scissors


On the basis of such information as
comes to US from the official communlca-
tons of the French, British and German
armies, the situation in France at the
present time would seem to be about this:
The period of rapid advance by the Allies
following the German retreat has come to
an end. To-day the new front extends
from Arras, through the environs of st.
Quentin to the Disc River, along the Disc
River to a point opposite La Fere and
then straight south to the Aisne above
Scissors.
Along this line advances are being
made at some points. Thus, the British
are slowly pushing a little nearer to
Cambria and to lie Catelet, while the
French are still making considerable gains
between the Disc and the Aisne, but a
glance at the map will show that these
gains are merely incidental to straighten-
ing the whole front and are made on points
where the German resistance has been
more protracted than elsewhere.
To-day there is only one considerable
salient left in the Western front between
the sea and the Argonne, and this is be-
tween La Fere and Craonne, which is
| itself half way between Laon and Rheims.
This salient has become the most interest
| ing point on the whole line, because after
all the ultimate German purpose will be
disclosed in the German decision in this
region. We have here a high plateau,
covered with two forests-those Of Coucy
and of st. Gobain. The Forest of Coucy
/ has been largely evacuated by the Ger
mans; they still hold that of St Gobain.
/ Southeastward Of the Forest of st. Gobain
/ there is a valley through which pass the
road and the railroad from Scissors to
Laon, and then more high ground-the ia
nous Craonne Plateau, on which Napoleon
unsuccessfully attacked the Prussians more
than hundred years ago.
If it is the German purpose to stay on
approximately the present line they must
hold the st. Gobain and the Craonne Pla-
teaus, and these plateaus will be the key
stone Of that great arch Of their front be-
tween Newport, on the North Sea, and
! Verdun, on the Meuse. So far they have
chung to the outskirts of this position te
naciously, retiring here far more slowly
than elsewhere, but this delay is due to
the fact that the roughness Of the country
enables small detachments to linger; and
despite all current reports they have not
been and do not now seem to be in any
danger of being enveloped.
We shall doubtless hear of other retire
ments between scissors and Laon, until
the line reaches the Craonne Plateau, from
which the French are at some points up
ward of five miles distant still. But these
are wholly incidental. So far the German
retirement remains successful, and the
German front is rapidly assuming form
that may be for a long period of time
permanent.
Between Arras and Scissors the present
line is at least thrty-ivc miles shorter
than the DID, and this shortening should
release at least 10000 men. TO judge
from the reports, practically all the short
ening has been taken up on the British
front-that is to say that the French
still hold approximately the same num-
Der of miles that they did before, while
the British line, which has been straight
ened out, mas been shortened at least
twenty-five miles. A good deal of mis-
apprehension has arisen as to the relative
amount Of progress of the French and the
British armies. The fact seems TO be that
the permanent German line was fixed only
a few miles from the old British front,
while it was many miles from the old
French front facing the Noyon salient
Thus, the British troops have been held up
less than ten miles on an average from their
old positions, while the French must be
over twenty miles, and perhaps twenty
five miles, ahead at some points. But this
is not due to the relative rapidity of move
ment on the part Of the French and of the
British armies, but purely and simply to
the fact that the second German line is
only little behind tho British front.
A slow, methodical advance and de-
liberate, organized retreat have been
going on. They are following the natural
course OF events. Neither has been
marked by any unexpected development
or by anything that suggests an Interrupt
ton Of the German plan so far. 1t may
be another week before the line is straight