Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-05-30
PLAY SAFE
n AISNE BATTLE
u Ground Slowly, Sure
hat Scale Will Turn in
Their Favor
SW GERMAN STRATEGY
By WALTER DURANTY

sta1 Csble to Evenine Public Ledger
5ovrt0At. 1878. by Neto York Times Co.
~ the French Armies, Thursday.
$sAsay 80.
{SsS1n consequence Of the new factors.
1eroduced by German strategy. Of the
frrise attack with enormous mum.
-, we must readjust our concep.
Mons heretofore based on position war.
! ~. That is the lesson of the second
I~ReAt offensive. whose course hitherto
- been q repetition of the attack of
( AFch Il.
IN position warfare Of the last year
nd ever sine the Marne. the defender
]Anow where the blow would fall, and
es for while able to mass his forces
oGordingly. The new shock may
otne at a point where his numbers
~ limited. with the result that the
sGIomy pours through and gains a con.
4erable amount Of ground before the
fL10Ation once again is stabilized
nat Il will be stabilized no one in
80 French army doubts.
= 10 the enemy tactics Of massed as.
Sealt with depth. the Allies have re.
MED by corresponding depth Of de.
onse, which necessitates the abandon.
~ Of ground quite out Of proportion
80 what has been the custom in posi-.
lon warfare. In the present battle,
which seems to be the principal drive
.4pd not diversion as at first thought.
4 - Germans have engaged. according
~ the latest reports, at least twenty.
i've divisions. Sheer weight Of men
fove them through the light screen
}& the Allied defenders.
Allies Playing Safe
ut must be remembered that the AL.
4 - are playing safe. with the full Ger.
S4n1nty that the armies will ultimately
3lnrn the scale in their favor. The
8ormans are In exactly the contrary
u 1ositfon. They have got to try for
"a immediate decision. 1t would be
1aying their game to waste our ener-
y - In defense OF position whose loss.
eRever regrettable. Is Of no vital i'm.
Getance.
"A the never-ending discussions Of the
XRDt three days regarding the German
$1etentions and objectives one often hears
ejna suggestion that the enemy struck On
fN6e Afsne In order to protect his right
51GAtnst possible Allied counter-attacks
inward Laon, or chose the Chemln- -des-
Names because of the morale value of
5ANccess in this historic sector. Such
4hsories are plausible enough, but do not
S)Ako Into account the basic principle of
Eeosmy action at present.
BY new tactics he brought back the
*lAr Of movement. and his central pur.
{Doa II aggressive operation tC defeat
- Allied armies before America turns
$41e equilibrium Of force against him.
elne is too precious for movements
1eae purpose Ia defensive or sentiment
IA The explanation Is far more simple.
20 essence Of the Won Hutier attack
t1Am II to fall with overwhelming force
9n . weaker opponent. It is. there
obvious that the point must be
}166een for preference where the density
e 0dfenders Is not great The Aisne po-
Mems were the nearest point to the
I<nAlu area Of Allied concentration which
<06tnlled this requirement. They form.
~ fact, the outlying flank of great
4SsJay whose left Is in Flanders, its CEN
~ at Amiens and its right at the Mont
3Gier-Noyon sector.
IL u most probable that the German
3naneuver was a classic attempt to turn
~ Allied right by bursting through a
T1ak hank guard in the hope of sub
Nnent turning movement that would
UP the stronger position to the west