The Washington herald., 1918-08-31
ALLIED HOPES
RAISING WITH
new ADVANCES
Military Officers More Op-
timistic as Germans Con-
tinue Failing Back.
DRIVE TOWARD DANAI
Peace Within Year Regard
ed Improbable Despite
Fall of Defenses.

The highest hopes Of the war
have been raised here in the past
few dasy by the repeated and con-
tinued successes of the French
and British armies.
Allied military officers, who
have been "pessimistieally" con-
servative in the past, even in the
face of other advances, are be-
ginning to grant that the opera
tons of the last month represent
cumulative efforts, and that this
means they will ever be on the
increase. Under Foch's slam-bang
policy of ''hit-em-again" he has
widcned his area of operations,
they say, and has formed a steady,
unceasing machine before which
the Germans cannot hope but TO
retreat. There are some allied
officers who firmly believe that
Fiance will have seen the last OF
the enemy BY rhis winter.
This viewpoint, which Is daily be-
coming more general. is the more sur
prising because 1t Is the reverse OF
the general opinion among military
men a month ago. Then they would
venture no predictions regarding the
future. for the future looked rather
dubious. But today victory seens to
be In the air. Military men, it must
be pointed out. do not look for an
early peace. or peace within a year
even. but they do look for victories
and advances on a scale that will
forever establish the superiority Of
allied arms over the enemy, and con-
sequently make the end that much
nearer.
Byng'. Activities Important.
From a strategical standpoint. the
activities of Gen. Bynr, TO the north.
are of the utmost Importance. He
has his eyes On Douai and Cambria;
he has alread" destroyed the myth
of the Hindenburg line; and although
his progress Is slow it is nevertheless
steady. Douai and Cambria are ad-
mitted to be the keys to the delIv-
erance OF France: and their fall, It
Is said. would mean a general and
precipitous retirement all along the
line by the. Germans.
There are a number Of positions
behind the H:n6enburg line where he
might rally and stave OF further ad-
vances for the time being: but GER
tain French officers declare his most
desperate stand will be made on the
banks OF the Meuse.
Official dispatches from France yes
terday tell Of the enormous booty and
prisoners that are daily falling into
the hands of the French and British.
Whole train loads of ammunition ana
other materials have been taken. One
dispatch recounts why the Germans
are retreatins. 1t says:
"He Is giving up the ground solely
on account of the irresistible force
Of Marshal Foch's manoeuvers. skill
fully conceived. led in a masterfui
way. and carried out by Incompatible
soldiers who feel and know that they
are conquerers.
This testimony suffices to bring "a
light the radical change which has
taken place in the military situation.
On the British front our allies are
continuing their operations with the
same tenacity. The immense battle
Is developing with a succession OF
movements which support and COM
plete each other. The struggle breaks
our from sector to sector. Every
where the Germans recoil and with
great difficulty expend forces with
which they will be very much in need
of later on"