New-York tribune., 1918-05-30

By William l.. Mcpherson
A FTER three days the German
A offensive based on Laon is

a FTER three days the German
~ offensive based on Laon is
still in full course. 1t is
gaining, rather than losing, head
way. 1t had all the carmarks from
the start Of a major operation. In
scope and driving power it has al
ready far outclassed the Lys Valley
offensive of April last, based on
Lille. 1t already threatens to attain
results comparable to, perhaps sur
passing, those of the great initial
offensive of March 21 last, based on
ST. Quentin.
In March Hindenburg recovered in
three days Bapaume and Peronne.
He had smashed through the Brit
ish armies on the Scmme front for
gain of fifteen miles. In three days
the Aisne offensive has covered
about nineteen miles. fSoissons has
fallen. Rheims is likely to fall at
any moment. The Allied centre has
been driven south to a point just
north of Percent -Tardennois. The
great drive of March 81 was not
stopped until it had passed Mont
didier and come in sight of Amiens.
In March Hindenburg gained over
thirty miles on a fifty-mile front.
Can he be held in June to a gain of
twenty-five miles on forty-mie
front?
Ten miles or more below Fere-en-
Tardennois flows the Marine. Is his
tory going to repeat itself after four
years? Will there be second Bat
tie of the Marne?
Compared with the present drive
the Flanders offensive Of April 9
was "side-show." 1t promised we'll,
but was soon pinned down. 1t was
made on twenty-mile front and
gained four miles the first day, two
miles the second and two miles the
third. Thereafter the gain was only
two miles, or ten miles in all. The
salient driven into the Lys Valley
could never be dangerously widened
out. The salient in the Aisne and
Vesle valleys has already lost the
characteristics of a cramped salient.
It has become a vast bulge forty
miles in width and twenty miles
deep. 1t gives every opportunity
for the continuation on a grand scale
of the warfare Of movement.
On Tuesday the armies of the
Grown Prince of Prussia had over
run large part of the area between
the Aisne and the Vesle rivers. They
had crossed the Vesle at Fismes, at
point about half way between
scissors and Rheims, but were held
up on the southern bank by hastily
gathered French reserves.
The Germans had then driven a
salient directly south from Courte.
con, across the Aisne to the Vesle.
At the tip the penetration was about
twelve miles. On the west the Allies
still held on Tuesday afternoon all
the north bank of the Aisne, west of
Vailly. This was bridgehead COW
ering Scissors. On the east thew
had lost everything north of the
Aisne, but were still holding a large
part of the area between the Alsne
and the Vesle, covering Rheims from
the northwest.
Yesterday, besides advancing rap
idly south of the Vesle, the Germans
greatly broadened their original
wedge. Facing west and southwest,
instead of south, they pushed quickly
from Vailly toward Scissors. That
city was evacuated by the French
yesterday afternoon after a brief
defence. Its fall compelled retire
ment all along the western side of
the Aisne salient. The French line,
which had run south from Pinon
Forest to Vailly on Tuesday was
Withdrawn from five to eight miles.
The new line, running north from
behind scissors now joins the orig
inal French line south of St. Gobaln