New-York tribune., 1918-10-19
The Retreat to the Meuse
By Frank n. Simonels
'opy'ish, .0',. py Nov York Tribune lnc


THE evacuation Of the Belgian
coast is obviously the first install
mcnt of q wite-swinging German
retreat which cannot row be more than
temporarily interrupted until the de-
feated armies stand on the line of the
Meuse River from the Dutch frontier
southwark This lire passes through
lisge, Huy, Namur, Dinant, Givet,
Mczieres and Sedan. and there bends
eastward away from the Nleuse, through
The little fortress town Of Montmedy, to
the great German barrier OF Thionvillc-
Metz, inside the German frontier.
Before they reach this line the Ger
mans will be able TO make brief halts
upon several other lines. They can. for
example. stard for a little longer on the
line Of the Scncldt from Naleuciennes to
Client, but the upward thrust of the
British from lie Cateau, where they arc
already east Of the Scheldt, would make
any long stay dangerous, as it would
threaten the flank and rear Of all the
German forces to the north, menacing
Brussels and Germany.
A more elaborate defence line has
been prepared to the eastward, resting
on the north on the forts Of Antwerp
and thence on the east bank Of the
Scheldt and the Ryppel, curving around
Brussels, which it does not cover, and
stretching southwarl to the fortress Of
Namur, following the east bank Of the
Dyle for considerable distance. South
of Namur it follows the line Of the
lIeuse and Of Metz. This is a very
strong system, which has been elaborate
j. fortified, but it's weakness lies in the
fact that successful penetration north
Of Namur would expose the Germans
still further to the north, between Lou
vain and Antwerp, to development and
capture, since it would cut their lines
Of communication and retreat.
1t is only at the Meuse that the Ger
mans will have defensive line Of
really great natural strength, for the
Meuse is considerable stream below
Namur. They would have the forts Of
Liege and Namur, which have been re-
constructed, as supporting works. and
good and easy rearwa1d communications
with Germany. If the Germans are to
make any successful stand west of the
Rhine they must make it on the Meuse,
and they long ago recognized this
fact. since they have insisted in days Of
prosperity that the new frontier Of Ger
many should begin at the Meuse River.
Despite their very heavy defeats the
Germans have. up to the present mo-
ment. preserved their armies intact. al
though the latest collapse between the
Scheldt and the sea may turn out to
BE fatal to the whole scheme Of an
orderly retreat to the A1euse line. I'm
questionably they have foreseen the
necessity Of the retreat for some weeks
and have already brought back much Of
their heavy artillery and material to
The ultimate line Of defence Short OF q
disaster, always possible when troops
have been pounded for so long time
as tic German armies have been, We
may expect TO sec q fairly rapid evacua-
ton of most Of Belgium in the next
fortnight, including Antwerp and Bvus-
sells.
Concentrated behind the Aleuse. il
they can get there safely, the Germans
will have shortened their front By up
ward Of hundred miles as compared
with the front Of last July. Even more
important for them will be the fact that
they will have between them and the
terrible tank a water barrier which
will, for time ct least. hold up the
operation of What has become the most
dangerous weapon Of their foes. All
things considered, the Germans seem to
have about an even chance Of getting
behind the Meusc in safety, provided
their home front does not crun1ble be-
fore their battle line collapses.
But the line of the Meuse can be
only a way station on the road to the
Rhine, because. once the Germans have
retired to it, nothing is more certain
than that loch viii renew his attack, not
in Belgium. but n Alsace- Lorraine.
where there is no water barrier, and the
opportunity for 81 successful invasion,
both through the Belfort gap and be-
tween Metz and Strassburg, is unrnis-
taxable. A stand at the Meuse will be
no more than an effort to check pursuit
while the diplomatic end Of the German
machine can make terms which will save
the military branch from complete de-
struction.
While the German armies north G
Valenciennes are swinging back, it is a
matter of life and death for the bal.