The Washington herald., 1917-10-21
Germans Prepare to Leave
Belgium, Abandoning Coast
British Victories Compel Retreat Struggle
East of Ypres Means Huns Must Hold
on Until Winter.

Zonnebeke is two miles north of the
Menin road.
Know They Are Beaten.
The Germans in Flanders know they
are beaten. They know that not very
many more attacks such as those
they have sustained in the past two
months will be necessary to enlarge
the salient now being driven into their
lines until the rupture is effected that
would spell disaster, the break-throuSh
accomplished that was so narrowly
averted between Bapaume and Peron-
ne last autumn.
To avoid a fatal break in their
! lines, they are being compelled to
follow their tactics of last September
on the Somme. They must hold On
until bad weather stops the enemy,
and then prepare and execute a re-
tirement before the mud dries in the
spring and the British can resume
their hammer-blows on the weak spot
in the line produced this autumn.
They were successful in avoiding a
major disaster on the Somme, which
must have overwhelmed them had
they stood their ground this spring
before Bapaume and Peronne. Hill
denburg's retirement to the St. Quin-
tin line was favored by the weather,
! but is ungrudgingly admitted to have
been a mastery performance. The
same situation exists in Flanders to-
day that faced the enemy on tie
Somme just a year ago hence mill
tary opinion is entirely agreed that
another German retreat, for similar
reasons, is inevitable; and hence the
I n H. Hrrr rtW1FY inc
of this story. that the Germans will
go back. There is plenty of other con-
crete evidence OF their intentions, that
L have been asked not to discuss; but
consideration of the strategical sit
uation is enough to drive home the
point.
Would Gain More Ground.
The bearing of the Passchendaele
ridge upon the German plans for re-
treat is this: 1t overlooks all the
plain, to the coast and to Brussels,
| and consequently IL it Is securely
held along its whole length, by the
British. guns can be placed behind
it which will hold the German lines
of communication at their mercy.
Secondly, a successful retreat of an
inferior army before an enemy su-
perior in numbers and equipment
must depend upon the element Of sur
prise. This was present, to the ex-
tent of delaying the pursuit for three
or four days, on the Somme last
winter; but with British eyes look
| ing down from the Passchendaele
ridge not even weather misty enough
to prevent aeroplane observation could
be depended upon long to conceal
the movement rearwards of great ar
miles,
If Hindenburg permitted his men
to be driven from the ridge this au-
tumn, further attacks upon his posi-
tions in the plain would inevitably
gain more ground with greater ease
than those delivered up to this time,
because the British gun positions
would be sheltered by the high ground.
and even big guns could be brought
up close to the line of fire, while
the German artillery would have to
be kept well in the rear, being under
direct observation from the high
ground north and south of the vii
lage of Passchendaele. At present
neither side has any great advantage
IN observation, since the Germans
hold most of the ridge, the British
some Oh IL and accordingly the can
non of both sides are compelled to
| operate under difficulties.
Enough has been said to explain
the desperate resistance of the Ger
mans to the attacks on the Pass
chendaeie positions, their reckless
| squandering of their best men in great
counter-attacks which are blasted
away before the men reach the Brit
ish lines, their incredible expenditure
OF shell, and their willingness to lose
scores If not hundreds Of cannon a
week under British counter-battery
nre rather than diminish the constant
storm OF projectiles that they hope
VIII enable them to hold the ridge
until winter
Referring to this fighting, Gen.
Maurice. director of military oper-
ations of the imperial general stan,
said: Men who have been at the