Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-03
ELES LIKE ROCK
N MARINE FRONT
Yielded Before Great Odds
in Early Stages of
Present Battle
WAR OF MANEUVER NOW
BY WALTER DURANTY
pecidt Cable to Erening Public Ledger

. Specidt Cable to Erening Public Ledger
n .Ca7prioht. 1918. bv Ne,o York Times co.
With\ the French Armies. June 8.
During the last three days l have
visited the Marine front from Dor.
mans to Chateau.T .Thierry and watched
the resistance stiffening Tempted as
the enemy must be to essay a drive
across the river, it is doubtful whether
ne will risk the attempt. The name
of the Marine rings like a tocsin in
the ears of every Frenchman. and the
poilus will fight to the death to keep
the river as final barrier.
The operations in this region are
entirely open warfare, such as Amer
leans knew in the Civil War. Save
Tor an occasional airplane buzzing
overhead. the observer might be watch.
Ing Ia reproduction of one of the bat.
tie ktories of Ambrose Bie-ce. Here
II \battery position at the edge of
q wood. A little further machine guns
are Installed to sweep the river bank
and among the trees behind them a
battalion of infantry is under cover.
Patrols of cavalry move swiftly from
point to point, and on a hillside op.
posfte German convoy. in full view
OF the naked eve, is dashing along q
stretch of open road under fire Of
French guns.
On the heights to the left sudden
smoke clouds leap up incessantly
Wnere the shells are obstructing the
auVance or the German infantry near
Chateau-Thierry. From time TO time
one catches sight of them scurrying
Forward like ants across an interval
pf meadows between the woods that
j cover most of the country The war
clock has been put back forty years,
: and along the whole front of action
the position of deadlock has given
place to battle of movement There
Is no time now to prepare trenches
and barbed wire and miles of elaborate
camouflage. The decisive struggle Of
the war will be fought out by ma.
neuver as of old.
Great Battle Analysed
An analysis of the great battle has
been given to your correspondent
The British line on May 81 ran from
. point west of Craonne 70 Bemeri.
court. While naturally dealing chiefly
y with British participation, the account
10 sufficiently ageneral to enable one
to realize the progress of events and
, their bearing on the present situation
q On the night of May % prisoners
|. were captured by the French on the
British left. They vouched for the infor-
= nation that a great attack was
4 planned for the following night. To
3 all appearances there seemed reason
Y to question the accuracy of this in.
= formation.
= 3 a Owing to the bad weather. previous
- p,.,t ,eI III,
oktlrial photography had been of limited
in locating the enemy bat.
4 etries. but as far as could be ascer-
entiined their number was not abnormal
betNevertheless, on the night of May
IL orders were given to the French
Shiny. of which the British division
roun'med a part. that all the Allied
~ pops should take up battle positions
IN ed at midnight counterpreparation
oas opened with every available gun
Il yhe Germans began an hour later
mcording 10 schedule. and the volume
J bI fire was such that the trenches, bat.
ries, local headquarters, and all
si,ints OF concentration and comm nj
ttion were literally smothered in gas
d,d high explosives.
)4tAgainst the three British divisions
re Fiftieth on the left, the Eighth
II the center, and the Twenty-first on
,e right all of which had been en-.
aged in the previous battles. the
ermans launched their storm dvi.
oHs, with divisions in support which
anne into action almost Immediately
On the French front the odds were
considerably greater. The Fiftieth sud
denly discovered the enemy in strong
force behind their left brigade. which
/ was enveloped. The Germans rapidly
widened the gap on both sides. and a
49, hi
- withdrawal such as occurred in March
and by noon the defenders were estab-
4 lished on the new line. south of the
Aisne.
~.cg Flushed by their recent success. the
Germans forced the passage of the
river, driving through to Guyencourt
The pressure on the British Fiftieth and
Eighth divisions had been heavy,
During Tuesday and Wednesday the
\ enemy advanced along the whole front
& sparing no effort and disregarding al
n losses The boche fought magnificent
II ~" Is the generous tribute the British
pay TO their opponents
On wednesday evening the Allied line
was a semicircle from Loupeigne through
couionges and Lagesy 10 the River
veale at Muizon,
As before stated, the retreat was or
derly in that defenders were able to re
main in touch after each falling back
but the enemy invariably took advantag,
Of their superior numbers to breal
through weak point and compel th'
withdrawal of adjacent units 20 "infiltra
tfon" under menace of development.
From that date their lines remained
fairly stable They We're REINFORCED OF
Thursday morning and simply Withdrew
81 IN step with the center. where German
pressure henceforth was heaviest
The enemy may attempt the passag
& Of the river, but his success is extremel,
AZ doubtful. and in any case, his principa
effort is now being directed WESTWARD
against the flank of the main Allie,
1orces.
The enemy is now eXerting his full
otrength--more than fifty divisions al
ready have been identiied-in a south
westward direction. He is doing his Ut
uaoet to increase his gains in the angl
81 ~ the new bulge around scissors an
fnrther south toward the forest of Vii
y3ISRs Cotterets in order to keep an align
lnant with the principal push throug
&nd along Ourcq Valley by Neuilly 81
Eront In the direction of Paris.
n According to latest news, the Allie:
Grootstance Is of steel. and there hav
Seen many successful counter-attack.
~ the front. from west of scissors I
4e Marne. the Allies are standing at bay
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