Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-10-17
reaching results for. confined to too mar. !

reaching results for, confined 20 a too mar
'nportant encirclng
movement can have no sustained value
. ..o. 4, L entire length It can be Ranked
by artillery fire.
The zone of operations In the Ypres
salient, formerly too narrow for the proper
disposition Of large masses of troops, has
now, by the French cooperation and their
recent successful advance, so extended the
line that fighting in what was the Npres
salient has changed in character. II Is no
longer to be considered a salient, but an
ever-eNtending wedge, progressively driven
into the German lines
The operations Of the French during
the last week are. in fact, complementary
TO the engagements which resulted in the
capture of Messines by the British last
June.
During the engagements Of the week,
the French everywhere maintained the
positions won in the face of repeated on
slaughts.
Strong German detachments were or
dered to dislodge the French who now
hold the advance positions, between the
Nictoire and Pategout farms. east of Drae-
bank. These, however, were repulsed.
BAD WEATHER INTERPRETERS
AS was TO be expected at this season.
bad weather has somewhat retarded the
Allies advance
Operations were hampered owing TO
the fact that the well-drained ground Of
the Passchendaele ridge once passed over.
the advancing columns are confronted with
the water-logged, soggy Flanders plain
which stretches on to Roulers and beyond.
The infantry was further impeded by
the fact that Allied artillery preparation
has so plowed up the ground that the ter
rain has been turned ito a sea of mud,
making the going almost impossible
'Torrential rains and low-lying clouds
rendered aircraft observation difficult. ana
under ordinary circumstances would nave
caused a suspension of offensive operations !
but the inclement weather has not prevent
ed the extension and consolidation Of Allied
gains during the week
The enemy, as usual, Counter-attacked IN
force His efforts to retake the positions
captured by the Allies have in isolated cases
been momentarily successful, but eventually
failed
The Germans fearing lest the Allied ad-
vance In Flanders would be followed by a
similar effort along other sectors of the
front particularly north Of Nerdun' en-
deavorcd TO thwart Allied plans by launch-
ing DOwerful attack preceded by the
usual intensive artillery preparation in this
sector.
THE enemy was able TO gain tenn
porary foothold in certain advanced French
lines Latest advices show that he was
driven out after some hot fighting.
"Tt must he remembered that If a COM
r1ander in the field is willing to pay the
price, both in the lives of his men as well
as in an overwhelming expenditure of mu-
nitions he is invariably able TO score
local success This the Germans gained In
their assault on the French positions along
the right bank of the Meuse, in the region
north of Hill 344.
THE enemy's success, however, was more
Short-lived than was to be expected when
its cost is taken into consideration, for
not only did the French regain the posi-
tions momentarily lost but they are now
holding their positions against exceedingly
heavy enemy pressure, at the same time
successfully carrying on their offensive
engagements in Flanders as well as raid
ing the enemys lines at other points"