Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-09-16

Wash ne. SAVIOR. oY dis
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pat ny lfesi Pa 10
Our FIRST GREAT oTgENsiNr.
America has launched lts first NJ.
fenSive In force. and II has boon
launched 40 VIZ have hoped IL would
be. says tho Globe Democrat. az that
part Of the great battle tine where
~ all but touches the raylshcd lands
of France that Germany has held
for nearly finy years and which
soon II must return 60 itH rightfui
owners Lorraine N only few miles
from the heights Of the Meuae where
we nov are fighting. and Lorraine.
for the present. IL Germany. our Oh
jectlye, Once scross tho line we can
impress Germany and the Germans
with the fifIl9mcanlnE of war They
do not yet know what war is, as
France knows ~ Belgium knows 49,
Italy knows They have felt tho tor
ribls weight OF wars losses but they
have not seen war. II IA TO be the
privilege Of America. we must ~
sume, 10 be the first to bring war
home 10 them. 60 show them what II
IL like. and 10 Join with the French
and British IN giving them final
object lesson that Will make them
sick Of war for at least a century
But this ls looking ahead. There
Is much TO he done before the border
line Ia reached and we must not un-
derestimate Che difficulties OF the
initial advance, Il Is not an attack
IN the open, such ns We have been
fighting 20 the north during these
past two months, We are AsBaultlng
strong intrenohments. and not until
We force the Germans out of them
can we make any progress that can
be shown upon. the map From
Rheims 20 Verdun the battle line
runs almost due east and west u
circles around Ncrduu and runs To-
the southwest about fifteen miles.
then about the same distance 10 tho
southeast then with sharp turn mt
st. Mlehiol goes east ward some
thirty miles or so 20 the German
border. which II parallels la ita trend
to the southeast again roughly
outlined triangle Is thus made with
its point nt st. Mlhiel aud its base
a line drawn from Fresnes 20 pont-
Mousson on the Moselle This is
tho ST. M.hiel salient. an here Il f.
that tho American forces have at
tackled, with tho french cooperating
on the right and on the left
Plainly u 10 necessary 10 remove
this salient before any general in-
vasdon of Germany can be under
taken. Tor lta possession by the Ger
mans would enable them to make n
flank counter stroke that might be
disastrous And Il r. equally plain
that they viii not abandon Il with
out n struggle lts loss would be-
more than strategic It would e.
feet the stnbuity Of their entire de-
fcnso through ils Influence upou
their troops from Als6co to tho soa
and upon their people Of home They
viii do their best 40 hold it hut
Foch. We may b, sure. has not or
dered this attack without tho means
and the will 90 success. We dD not
know what proportion N cur army
has been brought into action hut we
havc reason 90 believe thcro oro "a
million Americans available for the
movement which II lnsugura'es. bud
more are nm the way. not Goo speak
o. the French forces az hand 1h,
Germans can hardly spare any r0
serves from their hard pressed di
viaous on tho Hlndenhurg line, and
virtually an. n not 0il NJ their rr
serves are tRaed there They can.
uol hope 10 maintain their present
stand in the north N they throw
much support TO their lines In th'
south that are threatened by ma
new offensive, and to save Lorraine
from invasion they may be compel
led 10 Withdraw Ht once from
France. That NAV be Foch's pH.
mary purpose or It may be sec.
ondary consideration.