New-York tribune., 1918-09-06

south. To the south of the Drocourt
battle area it swerves sharply to the
east and then tails off in southeast
erly direction. 1t is the eastern stretch
that the British have been clearing of
the Boche.
The Germans may try to establish
new defensive line. which would run
almost directly north and south. join
ing the Hindenburg line at some point
southwest of Cambrai, but there arc
indications that the enemy is by no
means sure that his efforts will meet
with any success.
The very fact that since the Dro-
court-Queant line was smashed the
Germans have retreated from the
ground behind it, which IS of first I'M
rortance to the retention of their de-
fences in the north and south. With
out making single formidable at
tempt to regain their lost positions by
counter attacks. is considered proof
positive of the enemy's weakness in
this area.
The fact that the German command
has hesitated to withdraw any con-
siderable troops from other sections
of the front for the operations here
is taken to mean that the German COM
mand fears that such movement
would only lead to another catastrophe
Germans Seek Respite
Long periods of fighting without the
slightest respite. the annihilation of
whole formations. and the thorough
hammering they have received have
served to fix the idea of saving them
selves foremost in the minds of the
German troops. Every prisoner in his
comments on the great battle seems to
bear this out. Almost every diary and
Ill i
show that the enemy troops on the
Western front have suffered from the
long continued fighting as never be-
fore A typical excerpt from an un-
posted letter says:
I'VE are in mortal danger every day.
We cannot last much longer. We cam
not hope for further successes. Our
enemy is superior TO us in numbers and
everything else. Victory is now out of
the question:
Many letters end with the words
poor Germany.'
The German shortage in men in this
locality may we'll be imagined by the
fact that among the prisoners taken
are men who were received as drafts
in the infantry formations after hav-
ing been combed out of the field bakery
establishments and motor transport
columns.
Weakness Is Known
One man in typical letter COM
plains that the strength of his own
and several other companies has been
reduced to less than twenty each, yet
they were forced to hold on. He con-
cludes: IF the Tommies knew that, we
wouldn't be here long"
AS matter of fact. the Tommes do
know it, and the Allied commanders
are we'll aware of the depletion in the
o,l- bo ~
so far as they can be judged by the
prisoners taken, realize fully the nat
ure of the present retreat.
They know that their vain effort to
hold their successive lines of defence
means that they are in for another
winter campaign, with the terrible or
deal of an unsuccessful war, and the
prospect fills them with the deepest
depression.
The German army has obviously put
aside dreams of German peace this
year, or at any other time No more
boasting is heard in the prisoners cages.
There are always from both men and
officers now frank forebodirgs Some
of them are couched in terms of the
darkest despair. Thus the German sol
clers, DESPITE the declarations of their
newspapers and some of the higher
officers, are coming more and more to
uHOe fSLdnQ Wndl awaits IHem Wnen tne
full force of the American effort is felt.
How far the Germans in the north
are going back voluntarily or in re
sponse to pressure is uncertain. Hill
SO is well in British hands, and the
village of Ploegsteert has been capt
ured Lens is still in enemy hands,
and there IS no indication that the
enemy intends TO leave Lens in the i'm
mediate future But the Germans there
cannot hope to have a happy time, for
the British are steadily moving east
ward. leaving Lens in tightly drawn
salient, into which the British guns
are already pouring their steel.