Arizona republican., 1918-06-14
REPLACEMENT 1T
 FRENCH FORCES
 AVERTSDANCER
Military experts See In
 Changed Situation Partial . Accomplishment of Hun
 Strai ighte ming Plan
Republican A. p. Leased Wire1


 ment of the French armies defending Compiegne, from the northeast, east and southeast has relieved a situation which offered unpleasant possibilities, in the opinion of officers here. Enemy advances in the valley of the Disc and to the north and northwest of Com piegne had threatened to cut off the troops in the evacuated sector. An nouncement that they had been with drawn without loss was therefore re- garded with satisfaction.
 Marks Further Hun Step
 The movement, however. is viewed as marking a further step toward ac- complaining what many officers here believed to be the German purpose in all operations undertaken on the line west of Chateau Thierry after the Marne had been reached and in the last attacks starting on the Montdidier- Noyon front. The great bulge in the defending lines that remained thrust into the German front so as to make the Picardy and Aisne battle theaters distinctly separate has been materially reduced. The French lines have been flattened out, more completely consol- l idating the two fronts.
 Shift Point of Attack
 Still further reduction of the wedge 1 intruding into the German position north and east of Compiegne apparently was the object sought today by the enemy. The scene of attack shifted to the Soissons area, however, where the French admit officially that progress has been made in the territory between that place and the bastion of Villers Cotterets wood upon which the original German attempt to widen their gains in the Aisne operations westward was | broken.
 l- Between Two Forests
 It appeared possible to officers here that the line would be established fin ally with the forest of Laigue, just northeast of Compiegne, buttressing the French left in this area, while the right would be supported by Yillers Cotterets wood. These forests offer natural means for defense of which the French have taken full advantage.
 It is believed here the Germans will not attempt to capture Compiegne it. self by direct assault and that the present phase of operations will come to an end shortly unless they make bet ter progress in the Montdidier- -Autheuil sector and can flank the defenders out of the whole Compiegne salient.
 Resistance Defeats Plan
 The stubborn French resistance to the northwest is blocking flanking operations on Compiegne from this di rection, while the check encountered northwest of Chateau Thierry, where American marines have hit hard re- peatedly and have stopped the enemy in his tracks thus far has prevented an even greater flanking movement from the south that might have dislodged the French defenders of Villers Cot terets forest.
 Southern Move Important
 This southern movement is believed to be of wider significance than the operations the enemy was pressing to- day north of Villers Cotterets wood If it should be renewed successfully the fall of Compegne and readiustment of the whole line from Montdidier to the region of Chateau Thierry would fol- low. in a long slow curve welding the Picardy and Aisne theaters into one great battle ground.
 If observers are correct in regarding , this as the real German purpose under lying both the Aisne offensive and later developments around the Compiegne salient, it is to be assumed. it is said that their further conclusion that the main attack would then be renewed probably on the Montdidier- Albert Ar | raS front also is well founded