New-York tribune., 1918-06-01
Great War-1398th Day

'HE German offensive in Cham
pagne has not yet run its
course. But it's course is
being more and more controlled and
made amenable to the aims of Allied
strategy. The German tide south
ward is being sluiced. The drive to
the Marne is being confined within
relatively narrow limits.
French resistance to the direct
forward thrust of the Crown
Princes armies continues to be
light. 1t is as if Foch had planned
to allow the centrcs columns push
ing for the line of the Marne to out
travel themselves and put strain
on their communications while he
massed his reserves on the side of
the rapidly deepening and narrow
ing salient. The Germans made the
mistake of out-travelling themselves
the last time they reached the
Marne.
The German position south of the
Asne now resembles a funnel into
the mouth of which the hard pushed
German infantry is being driven. 1t
is tempting situation for a French
counter stroke from either side of
the funnel above the orifice Wheth-
err or not Foch will meet the prob
lem that way depends, of course, on
the strength of his carefully hus-
banded army of reserve.
The Berlin day communicate yes
terday claimed that the German ad-
vance had reached the Marne. Early
unofficial advices from Paris practi-
cally conceded this. They put the
extreme point of the German pene-
tration at LIE Charmed, which is only
two miles north of the Marne. The
Marne makes a bend to the north
just below this town, which lies
three or four miles northwest of
Dormans. Unofficial reports also
indicated that the Germans were
very close to Chateau-T -Thierry, which
has been evacuated by the civilian
population.
At the Marne, or close to it's
northern bank, the German armies
would have travelled in five days
about thirty-one miles from their
starting point. Yesterdays gain
amounted to nine or ten miles. It
is twelve miles from Fere-en-Tar-
dennois, where the French stood yes
terday on the west side of the tin of
the German salient, to Chateau
Thierry. It is ten miles from
Vezilly, where the French stood YES
terday on the east side of the tip of
the German salient, to Dormans. But
the German progress south since
then has been uneven. 1t has beer
greater on the west side of the fun.
mel opening than on the east side
The Berlin communique last night
said that the. Crown Princes forces
had taken the heights of Champ.
voisy, Romigny and Saint Gemme
These are all more than two miles
north Of Dormans.
German progress south since Nav
n may be summed up thus: First
day, five miles; second day, sever
miles; third day, seven miles; fourth
day, three miles; fifth day, nine
miles. This greatly outstrippeo
the progress made in the Somme Of
fensive. On the Somme, or rather
south of the Somme, the gain on the
fifth day was only three miles. But
Allied strategy before Amiens com.
PEELED fierce head-on resistance
which 1T does not compel in the pres
ent drive, directed at no very vul.
nerable strategic point.
If the Germans cross the Marine
they will do so on line between
Chateau-Thierry and Dormans
These towns, one on the north bank
and the other on the south bank OF
the river, lie about nine miles apart
The German armies crossed the
Aisne on front of twenty-five
miles. They crossed the Vesle on a