Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-09-04

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, September 4.-The prog
ress of tremendous events on the pat
tlefront in France is being followed
with. almost breathless eagerness oy
the whole British nation. The most
significant feature of Tuesdays de-
velopments was that the expected Ger
man attempt to restore the position OF
the broken Wotan line did not ma
terialize. The failure Of the enemy
to make such an attempt apparently
is attributable to the speed and en-
ergy with which Field Marshal Haig's
armies were able to press the advance
on the retiring enemy. Informed op-
servers, however, continue to specu-
late on when and where the enemy
will pull himself together.
Early Debacle Not Expected.
Disastrous as the blow already has
been to German prestige and serious
ly as the German position is endan-
gered, experts here are not express
ing anticipation of an early debacle
and admit the probability of some de-
fenses being organized behind the
enemy lines in an attempt to check
the allied advance.
Some German prisoners taken in the
battle talk confidently of the impend-
ing arrival of a great reserve army
under Gen. Won Mackensen, who will
turn the tables on the allied forces,
but obviously it is impossible here
to throw any light on such reports.
Whatever the future may hold, the
actual situation is regarded as one
of extraordinary promise for the
allies and containing the possibility
of the compulsory abandonment of
the entire northern German front, in
cluding the Flanders coast.
Value of American Army.
While featuring the dramatic de-
yelopments on the British front COM
mentators do not neglect to empha-
size the great Importance Of the oper-
ations on the southern end of the
battle line, where the French and
Americans are holding against large
enemy forces and making progress.
French official communicates deal al
most laconically with these opera
tions, but their value as a contribu-
overlooked here. Recognition equally
is given to the fncalculable bearing
on the entire situation of the pres
ence Of the rapidly growing Ameri-
can Army.
The military critic of the Telegraph
in discussing the possibility of the
Germans organizing reserves for a
counter blow dismisses the subject
with the remark that "the counter
menace of the American reserves will
bind the German reserves like a
SPELL" Commenting on the same sub
ject. the Daily Mail critic says:
Has Forces to Exploit Successes.
"In previous successes the lack of
strong reserves prevented victories
being exploited to the uttermost. On
this occasion Marshal Foch has in our
American armies ample forces avail
able If he determines to press the
blow.
I'VE are witnessing the collapse of
the prestige of the Prussian military
machine. We have the whip hand as
we never had 1t before in this war.
and we hold it with a constantly in
creasing reserve. of power. both in
enemy @ has nothing Comparable.
.'The weight of the American Army
has not yet been thrown into the
scale, but it is there, waiting to be
relea Sed in POSITIONS which NIL us
with the highest expectations and
the enemy with the deepest concern -
The Express says: "The hearts of
the allies are properly elated and the
Germans are heavy with foreboding.
Retirements, repulses and losses, and
with all of these the fear of the Amer
lean Army, young, fresh and eager
for battle and ready and waiting for
the word from Foch to strike, fur
nish cause for anxiety.
Gen. Mangin Besting Foe.