Evening star., 1918-05-31
:EXPER|TS:SEE BLOW
iI.:FFOE'S ADVANCE
+: GAINS THE Marine
Military Authorities Here
:; Point Out Seriousness if
Advance Is Made.
FRENCH WAR TRAFFIC
WOULD BE affected
Might Lead to Prolonged Siege Of
ParisA1taly Is
Aroused.

II the Germans reach the Marne
what ne1t7 What will be the effect
on the allied cause?
This question. which was the uni
versal inquiry after reading OF
further German advances. was an
swered by military experts here to-
day Summed up, their conclusions
were:
French lines of transportation would
be seriously affected, That result.
and the consequent loss of materials
and supplies. which seem now to ac-
company the German advance, would
be the most serious effects.
If the Germans are held along the
Marne their occupation of those posi-
tions does not foreshadow the cap
ture Of Paris. It brings them a step
nearer that objective. 1t might lead
to q prolonged siege of the French
capture a foregone conclusion or even
y PROBABILITY.
Rail Loss Would Be Real Blow.
fhe-ratfruads which would be put
out of commission would be a serious
blow to France. This Is admitted.
The Marine itself is a water route of
importance It would be lost for such
use.
But military experts here still hold
to the theory that the operations at
present were not planned as the main
chine. They believe the true objective
of the Germans is the channel ports.
They reiterate that the present
fighting Is not primarily for any OBJ
jective to be found ahead of the Ger
man advance, but that il looks to ac-
complishing one of two things. These
are:
Compelling Gen. Foch to draw upon
the strong defenses about the channel
ports and thus weaken the allied po-
sfttons there for German drive.
Creating dissension' between the
French and English, which the Ger
mans believe would follow were Cen
Foch to order the channel port de-
fenses weakened.
Supreme Effort to End War.
Officers here believe that Of the two
Pbjectives. Paris or the channel ports
Germany would prefer the latter.
They insist that any speculation about
German designs at present must be
based on the assumption that Ger
many is making a supreme effort to
ing;
PIE do not consider the taking of
Paris decisive victory, and the Ger
mans know this feeling. Early in the
war France was prepared to withdraw
from Paris, establish her capital else
where and keep on fighting. and 1t is
pointed out that such withdrawal
would be easier now.
But the Germans are known to reck-
on on the strong desire Of the English
to keep the channel ports, which are
regarded as England's best protection
The German idea is>that If the channel
ports were taken England either
shores at the expense Of her aid to
France, or would sue for peace to save
the British Isles from invasion.
Both these theories are untenable, Of
I course, from an allied viewpoint. but
they are considered the basis Of Ger
many's present operations
Italy Is Aroused.
Meanwhile reports coming to Wash
fngton show that Italy is stirred as
never before by the German advance in
France. italian papers urge that Ital-
ian troops be placed at the complete
disposal Of Gen. Foch in France to stem
tho invaders onrush. This Is being done.
since Italy has been urgent in her protes-
tations that she was willing to place
her whole strength at Gen. Foch's dis
posal against the common enemy.
French and British newspapers re-
ceived here are strong in their ex-
preston of 4Afn4f4tiun for the troops
already sent to France. The lighting
units OF these are picked troops.
mostly young men of twenty-se seven
I years or less. and there are indica-
fions. though no official dispatches, to
show that these troops now are
. holding sectors in the vicinity of Ar
ras. Among. the italian generals in
command there is one national hero
OF Italy. -Beppino Garibaldi.
Loss of large supply depots, con-
tanning a wealth Of material. may
affect the aid which the British and
French are extending to Italy for
operations on the italian front
1taly's needs In the past were muni-
tions and coal These have been sup
as nssa against is tooa nss
frM-afe-bef1eved nereto depend to a
srseA' -sxtsnt -eh-+hA ability OF. her
allies to meet that need.
Specialists at Front.
For moro than two years Italy has
had specialists in nearly all depart
nlents Of war-making on the French
front, and these are admitted In Brit
1ah and French papers and by mill.
tAry officers of these nations and OF
the United States to have given aid OF
highest quality to the allied forces.
Now that the question of man power
has become one of the decisive fac.
tors in the western front. Italy and
the United States are pointed to In
newspapers and in statements of Off.
cials as being two nations which will
play q decisive part in the weeks o
stress to come.
Fl DOS" SAID OVER WIRE.