Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-01
SACRIFICE ARIS
TO SAVE BRITAIN
Clemenceau's News p ap er
Tells of Foch's Strategy
in Present Battle
MUST PROTECT CHANNEL
Special Cable to Evening Public LEDGER
coprrfoht. 1918. by Netc York Times Co.

Special Cable to EUentng Public Ledger
Copyright. 1918, bv Ntsc York Times Co,
= Paris, June 1.
Prime Minister Ciemenceau's news.
paper. L'TIomme Libre, commented on
the situation yesterday to the follow.
ing effect:
I'm the present grave hour NOBODY
has a right to consider the actua,
present operation without taking com.
fort for past events and the near
future. When Germany freed her
hands in the east and was able ia
bring on our front the mass of guns
ssand supplies taken from the Russians
the first detectives at which she
would aim would be the coast and tho
separation of the French and British
armies.
Now, we must have no illusions on
this point: 1t was impossible for us
to defend with equal strength in man
and material botn the coast and Paris
A choice had therefore to be made.
and our high command. realizing that
it was necessary at all cost to prevent
a further advance toward the coast
decided to hold the front between
Paris and the enemy with the lesser
strength, since here there was at lea ast
more room to maneuver.
ut must not be forgotten, Incl.
eentally, that this years operations
have a decisive character, at all events
in the mind of the enemy. who is
risking all to win victory through his
advance, knowing full well that II
he is now mastered and held UP before
having achieved the success on which
he is gambling, the result will be
equivalent to defeat.
All Values Changed
This viewpoint has the effect of
changing all values and all data in
regard to the present military oper.
ations. so far as a comparison with
preceding battles and former often
sives is concerned, which were merely
vast operations designed to wear down
the German army, pressed and con
fined on two immense fronts.
Looking at the present battle from
this angle. we can realize with NOR,
calmness the indisputable advantages
which the enemy has obtained through
almost suddenly transporting impor
tant masses of men to one point of
the front.
Thirty -four enemy divisions hay,
been identified as having taken part
in the first two days fighting. The
by twenty divisions. launched on the
thirty-one miles of front between
Pinon forest and Brimont Fort.
"On the same evening the Germans
reached the Aisne and threw in sever
fresh divisions to force the CROSSING
of the river. Another seven divisions
making total of thirtyfour. wer'
brought in to widen bridgeheads ol
the Aisne and force the way to tn
~<isns; ~ns. ,roon. ,,.r. literally .,,,merse,
an tine proportion Of ten to one. an,
were forced back fighting foot bv foo
At every point where 1t was humanl
possible to resist.
1.-TWO serious consequences hav
arisen from this advance which begal
to be seriously arrested only last nigh
bv The arrival Of our reserves. Il
the first place, the main line fror
paris to Chalons will be within rang
Of the enemy's heavy guns, unless W
the main line running from Rhein
through Laon to Amiens, which ha
been disengaged by the present battl
viii enable the enemy more easily t
transports .:troons inside his own line
-. ..TfA S4enrfss ~ ssuccess, however, tn
ff1vity of which must not be dis
simulated. Involves no vital danger I
the Allies.| which. after all, Is tn
capital point at this critical moment
rThe SUSPENSE we are going throug
d preciselH what was to be expecte
during the proverbial last quarter {
an hour oA the struggle. Germany
irsa hurr1 to finish the war. It
imoeratively necessary that she wi
this wear, and she awaits like a erin
inai the sentence Of death or life froi
the mouth of the supreme judge.
The Allies are this supreme iudg
for thew re|present the whole univers
excent German imperialism and mil
tarism. and they will hold out unt
the arrival of the American arm
which will very shortly throw II
sword heavily into the scales OF Jul
tice."