Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-09-05
German Generals Helpless
to Reply to Allied Meth
ods of Strategy
FOE ARMIES ON THE RUN
Belief Grows That Hinden.
burg Line Cannot Save
General Retreat
Spscid Cable to Euening Public Ledger

Ccpyrioht. 1918. bv New York times Co.
Paris, Sept. 5.
The belief is growing daily here
that the Allies now have the Germans
on the run and that not even the
Hindenburg line can save them
from a general retreat before many
weeks have passed. As Paris sees
Z 1t the enemy high command is now
Showing astounding incapacity to
meet any of the blows Foch is shower.
ing upon them at one point after an.
other along his front. Opinion here
Is puzzled to find the reason why
the German General Staff, which for
more than forty years has boasted
that II alone knew all the secrets of
modern strategy, now stands openly
confessed as helpless to offer any
rcply tc tie allied methods.
Sever weeks ago yesterday, after
four sre3t offensives. all of which
had proved surprisingly successful,
the Germans believed they had Paris
within their grasp and were within
easy distance of a German peace.
They were convinced that both the
French and the British armies were
I pnwerless to offer further effective
resisfance. Two days later Foch
artcunded them by taking the Of.
feusive- between the Asne and the
Marine soundly beating the huge army
OF rearly half million men, who be.
lfewae they had only to go forward
ard gather the fruits of their previous
Victories. and wrenching the initia-
tfvs o' the whole campaign from the
epernS
sIhe Germans themselves confess
Fuch's success is mystery to them.
We:I after week they have the pill
lass OF their defensive line fall one
AFTER other-Soissons, Albert. Mont.
didie- Lassigny, Roye, Chaunes.
Nnyon Bapaume. Croiselles, Peronne.
and now Queant, the landmark and
symbol Of their idolized Hindenburg
Lima
High Command Loses Reputation
After this anything h possible In
French oririon the tacit admission OF
stkA Corr. ar High Command that it is
sov'4.less to devise any means to hold
victorious Allies marks the grave
se REGULATIONS of both Hindenburg
Erdcndorf. These specialists Of
o easfe-E e~cnt have shown by prac'
sc1; e<rererce extending over many
weeks on the western front, where
eometTc.g finer is required than mere
ABILITY to drive battering ram, they
are horelessly outclassed in brain
power by the superior genius of Foch.
n Hopes are running high here that
the magnificent British victory at
Quehnt will have n speedy effect on
the whole German line further south.
It 10 REGARDED as inevitable that the
I eqesny armies fighting on the front
.of e. Quentin and Lafere must pre-
cfpitate their retreat under peril or
beihg Liaced in extreme danger now
that the pivot of their whole line to
the west OF Cambrai Is so seriously
u5egaced. MarwitZ's army east OF
Potonne is already in serious Difficult.
ties, while Mangin's army, which has
already reached points on the Disc
about midway between Laurere and
Noyon is also a serious factor the re-
= tfea.iLg Germans have to reckon with.
The role of Mangin is becoming
more important daily. His left on the
(. Oise evidently is intended to support
the right of Humbert's men, who are
dfiy.l.g back the enemy on Latere
anaN st. Quentin and to threaten the
German communications with the rear
by way Of Chauny.Tergnier road,
whici. n.ust now be well under fire
OF our guns. The enemy obviously
realized TIE danger in this quarter
some tim. ago and massed substantial
forces ir q e country between Councy
and TergT Ter. including many Of his
best sFoul. In this direction the
< enemy had every opportunity TO at.
tempt counter maneuver. This did
not escape the eve OF Mangin. who
promptly took the initiative himself
and upset all prospect the enemy may
have HAD o., developing any operations
q Of = diversion.
Z o. Foo lias No CO-ordinated Plan
fhe more the struggle develops the
more opinion! he. is convinced that
the enemy, !h addition to having lost
the. Initiative. is now losing a good
4 deal OF the enormous bene6, he de-
= rived .rum the unity of command
4 he always 81 1oyed since the beginning
OF the war. che. pIa mt entire absence