Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-12
SEES BALANCE
SWINGING TO ALLIES
Germans Achieve Limited Adj
vance in Center at Great
Loss
f TAKES BIG RISK
Teuton Effort With Defenders
Having Advantage in Positions
Regarded as Bad Business


Special Gable to Erening Public Ledger
Copyright, 1918. by Nc,c York Times Co.
Paris. June II.
Mondays fighting. writes Henry BIZ
dou. the able military critic of lie Jour-
nal, may be summed up by saying that
by a desperate effort at the price of
great losses the Germans achieved a
very limited advance in the center, while
they continued to be pinned down on
both wings. This result. considered from
a strategic viewpoint, is plainly salts
factory to the Allies.
IAN effort like that which the Ger
mans are making. If it comes down to
an advance foot by foot in a district
where the defenders have the advantage
of successive positions, is bad business
for them. From the moment when the
defense is not submerged. an offensive
becomes costly.
In the battle begun March 81, the
danger for the Allies was lost of ground,
from the fact that they had only a linn
tied space available. while the thing
the Germans had most to fear was the
wearing down of their man-power, all
their divisions having been fully en-
gagged for three months with very linn
tied facilities for renewal. From this
viewpoint, how does the present battle
stand?
In the center the Germans have adj
vanced as far as Marqueglise, Il gain
of rather less than three miles. This
brings the enemy in this direction to
the same distance from the northern
front to Paris as they are at Chateau
Thierry from the eastern, or rather more
than forty-five miles.
The advantage to the enemy from
having thus approached Paris from two
angles instead of one is incontestable.
| pointed out Monday that they were on
Sunday advancing through a low-lying
country. where they were under such a
fire that their position became untenable
unless they enlarged their salient on the
]neighboring heights. They have now
succeeded in doing this.
'On their right they occupied the
plateau of about 400 feet altitude on
which is the village of Merry and also
the. villages of Belloy and Saint Maur
on it's southern slopes. This new posi-
ton is extremely useful to the Germans.
as the plateau menaced from the south
the roads along which they bring up
reserves. At the same time. on the eX-
IRENE right, we hold the Ployron plateau,
which gives a good view from the side
and partially nullifies the benefit which
the Germans may hav from the posses
sion of Merry.
''On their left the Germans have sue
ceeded in carrying Lassigny Heights, of
which on Sunday they secured only the
advanced portion at Plemont. On Mon
day they secured the principal remaining
heights. These heights are great masses
of sand. deeply cut by ravines running
down in every direction. Thiescourt
Wood, which the enemy has reached, is
on the northern lobe of these heights.
"All reports agree that the losses OF
Won Hutier's army in securing these tive
lateral positions of Lassigny Heights
have been enormous. On Sunday Nor
Hutier had five divisions put out of bust.
ness, or half the force he placed in line
Others have been thrown in since, but
there can be no doubt that their step-by.
step progress has been costly.
in the present battle of time against
space our loss of space, at all events
has considerably decreased, while the
enemy is suffering from greatly in,
creased losses in men. 1t is a legitimate
hope that, If we have the patience &c
wait. the balance will soon be in oul
favor"