New-York tribune., 1918-06-13
Military Comment
By William L. Mcpherson

a 7 THE end of it's third day
~ -Tuesday-the German Of
fensive on the Noyon-Mont-
didier front seemed to be approach
ing condition Of stalemate. The
German armies after plunging south
for three days with reckless ferocity
had suffered a severe check m the
centre, been driven back a moderate
distance on their right wing (the
French left) and had continued to
make appreciable progress only on
their left (the French right.
Yesterdays fighting strengthened
the impression of prompt stabiliza-
ton of conditions south of Lassigny
which Tuesdays occurrences had in
dicated. The French day COM
munlque reported hating of Won
Hutier's advance on the entire line
west of the Disc. 1t reported fur
ther French gains on the Montdidier
wing, east of Merry and Genlis Wood,
which were recaptured by the
French on Tuesday evening. Violent
German assaults on the centre were
repulsed, leaving the lines north of
the Aronde River practically un
changed.
The French right wing, which had
been pressed south on Tuesday to
the Disc River below Ribecourt. also
held fast. The Germans were ua-
able to cross the Matz River, which
runs southeast from Ressons-sur-
Matz and empties into the Disc a
little below Bethancourt. This last
named town marked the southern
most point Of Won Hutier's advance
down the Disc Valley on Tuesday.
The French yesterday afternoon re
tanned the line Of the Matz I'D to
Chevincourt, where their line turned
west, passing to the north Of An.
theuil. All that Berlin claimed in
yesterdays day bulletin was the
clearing of the north bank of the
Matz.
The night Paris communicate re
ported practically no change on tho
front west of the Disc. The French
gained more ground on their lief.
wing. The Germans succeeded II
getting across the Matz at one point
half way between Chevincourt ane
the mouth of the river. They tool
the little town of Melicocq and ths
heights behind it.
The loss of the west bank of tn,
Oise down to Bethancourt had i'm
mediate results, however, in n,akins
untenable the strong French position,
on the east bank Of the river. Thes,
had extended as far north as Carle
pont Wood. only three miles soutf
OF Noyon. The Germans on the ives,
shore have pushed down below the
! southern border Of the Forest o.
ourscamps. By crossing the rivel
there they could threaten the rea1
OF the forces in the sharp angl.
toward Carlepont.
On Tuesday night, therefore. tn,
French abandoned this sharp sal
lent' pointing toward Noyon. Berlin
reported the retirement yesterda,
and said that the French had re-
FORMED their line in the open spac,
between the Forest of Ourscamp,
and the bigger Forest of Laigue. L
runs from the Disc, opposite Be
Ihancourt, east through Bailly t.
iracy-le-Val, and then to the vicin
lty OF Nampoel. Nampoel is on the
Solssons-Noyon line, which the Ger.
mans tried several times to break
during the last days of the Aisne.
Marne drive, but could make no i'm.
preston on it.
This Allied retirement east of the
olse was inevitable after the clear.
ing of the west bank Of the Disc
down to the Matz River. 1t sur.
renders sharp triangle containing
very strong defensive positions
which the Germans preferred TO en-
velop rather than to take by storm.
IN compelling its evacuation Won
11utier has now clearly linked un
the offensive on the Montdidier-
Noyon front with the Won Bushn
and Won Bulow offensive on the
Noyon-Chateau Thierry front. These