The Washington herald., 1918-06-11
Decisive Strength Of Re-
sistance Shown by
Foch's Legions.
TIDE TURNED
Signs Now Indicate that the
Enemy's S Offensive Must
Be Nearly Spent.

>
as one of the decisive days in the
great defensive campaign waged
by Gen. Foch in the year 1918.
Unless all signs fail, the brilliant
defense of the French legions and,
perhaps, the waning confidence OF
the German battalions mark the
turning of the tide in the greatest
battle civilization has ever en-
dured.
II may appear that the day has
not yet come for congratulation,
that the German hordes: still arc
far from the defeat which. will
send Prussianism crashing down
the chasm to oblivion.
On the other hand, knowing the
spirit Of the allied fighters, know
ing the reserve strength which
awaits the orders of Gen. Foch
and knowing the available man.
power now left the Kaiser, there
can be little doubt that the Chan
mel ports arc safe and and that
Paris will never be trodden by
conquering hosts.
German Superiority Waning.
There can be no reason for antici.
pating a great allied Offensive 70
many months TO come. but there 1!
cause for believing that the German
military leaders can hold the balanc'
of fighting power but a few week
longer. and that in that period the!
can do little more than prepar
against the day when Gen Foch VII
launch the hrst greet drive Of a unite
and completely allied army.
The attempt to force q passag
, through the Matz Valley has proven
more than any other action Of tn
past two years. that Germany is slow
ly but surely being deprived OF tn,
raw materials with which war i
made. Her artillery fire and ligh
gun fire has again shown to grea
disadvantage as compared with tina
carried out in the great drive sgalns
Amiens. On the other hand tn,
French have shown again that the.
are well prepared with artillery an,
in this war it has been proved a
never before that ''the artillery con
quers." Aside from the tactical side
lights which the drive in the Mont
didier-Noyon sector has developed !
Is plain that the sturdy resistance o
the French on each wing OF the as
saulted salient that the German
strength has been desperately weak
ened by the two great previous drive.
this year.
Suffer Great Loss.
1t Is true that the Germans hav,
sifted through the center and mad,
advances, but these advances in tn,
rst two days fighting cannot hav,
realized their objectives-inf fact tn,
Germans. judging from their pre-
vious assaults. have suffered tn,
greatest losses of the year com
pared with the points of vantag,
won All gains of a wedge drive ar,
presaged upon the advance mad,
in the first twa days. 1t is safe t
predict that the German effort nov
being made will not bring a union o.
the Aisne and Amiens fronts.
But of even greater importanc,
Is the fact that the Germans ar,
forced to use every available di.
vision in the present fight IL they
are to reach their objectives. II
other words. months must interven,
before they can attempt to realiz,
the fruits for which the fist tive
assaults sought to pave the way.
Must Hold Channel Ports.
With the knowledge that American
re-inforcements are daily augmented
Gen. Foch's reserves, there is now
little reason for fear that the channe
ports will be seriously menaced by q
drive against the British on the north,
ern front. Moreover, advices from
Paris. received here yesterday, indi.
cate that General Foch believes that
the chanrel ports must be held al
all costs.
Dispatches received In Washington
yesterday give further light on the
great inroads made upon the strength
Of the GermaL forces.
Before the first drive It was estab-
lished that the Kaiser had approx.
mately 15o divisions available for of.
fensive tactics. 1t is now established
that the tirst two drives used UP fully
100 divisions; certainly fifty divisions
were put cut Of action in the drive or
the Marine, and the reforming of tn:
bruised battalions decimated in the
attack against Amiens has not beer
completed.
Because of the increased front the
German leaders are now forced q
garrison, and because Of certain move
ments made necessary to the italian
front. It Ia known that the German
attacking strength, previous to the as
sault against the Matz valley. was
only fifty divisions.
Fourteen Divisions Used.
Late reports last night indicate that
fourteen Of these divisions have al
ready been used in the attack, and
from the strong defense which the
German arms are meeting II is safe
to assume that a continuation of
the engagement will demand the use
Of fully twice that number. How
valuable the German soldiers will
prove who are being returned from the
Russian camps is a disputed Ques-
ton. Certainly they cannot be ex.
pected to achieve wonders as storm.
ing troops.
In its broad aspects the cause OF
the allies never seemed stronger thar
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