The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-08-21
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immediate cost as the result of the allied
progress and there is an obvious even
tual peril due TO the fact that he has
behind him the Somme river and one
of the most elementary OF military
rules is that II is unwise TO fight with
an unfavorable river at your rear In
the retreat Of the German 10 the line
of the Somme now will be the ultimate
consequence >of his defeat on August )
and the succeeding days iust as a re-
tirement from the Vesle TO the hisnc
will be final consequence of his defeat
OF July l8 and ~ in the Marine salient
Altogether those retirementsN will rep
resent surrender of considerable terri
tory but of territory which lost its
real value asa result ,ef the recent de-
fcats. II the German could expect to
take the offensive in this front in any
immediate future, he would necessarily
fight to retain what are naturally good
Jumping off places He would have
begun TO fight to preserve them long
before the French reached the summit
of the Lassigny ridge and also passed
the crest of the equally important ridge
between the ASne and the Disc where
the lateit fighting has taken place.
On the contrary he has consistently
conducted an operation looking TO the
delaying of the advance of his foe
rather than to pinning down that ad-
vance Immediately. The same thing
is happening to the north in the Flan-
dcrs salient with less pressure, The
Germans are retiring IN Picardy and
north Of the Aisne as consequence
OF defeats OF two recent battles. They
seem to be retiring from the Flanders
front 10 avoid a third battle which
would have to be fought under circum-
stances more disadv- rtageous than the
circumstances which lead y their two
previous battles.
Hun Offensive Discarded.
In sum what We are hearing is the
slow but sure retirement OF the German
out.>S the country occupied by. him as
the result of his earlier victories and
occupied with the intention of advanc-
ing upon Paris by the Oise and the
MArnc routes after having separated the
French and British armies. and contain
the British north of the Somme. His
offensive campaign is in the discard.
Therefore, there IS no reason why he
should now pay high price for keep
ing that portion Of his conQueStS which
is without value since the purpose OF
his campaign is no longer realizable
and the German is accepting the de
fensiye from Arras TO Rheims and also
from LaBasse to YpreS.
No Attack on Paris.
He may still attack between LaBasse
and Arras or east OF Rheims. But his
retirement over the rest of the front
prechdes any renewal OF an offensive
directed at Paris What Foch is doing
is to follow up his initial triumphs by
steady and sustained pressure giving the
German no rest, forcing him to fight on
positions taken accidentally IN the heat
OF battle, exacting high price from
him while he occupies these positions
and hustling and pushing him back un-
Ill the German reaches lines on which
he can conduct regular and perma-
ncnt defense. If the German remains
too long in any temporary positions he
may meet with local disaster, but he
seems to have recognized the fact and
all his Withdrawals so far have been
orderly, regular and systematic The
three phases that we have had in each
OF the recent offensives have been, first
the attack, then the pursuit and then a