New-York tribune., 1918-10-22
Military Comment
BY William L. Mcpherson
Copyright, 1918, Nea0 York Tribune hxe.


T<HE German strategists didn't
give the Scheldt line name
out Of Wagner's operas. They
should have called it the Lohengrin
'Stellung," for Lohengrin drove his
swan boat down the Scheldt. But if
Lohengrin had been so honored, he
would have had nothing on Wotan or
Siegfried. His "Stellung" would
have proved no more impregnable
than their "Stellmgen" were.
The Germans have been holding
the Scheldt line in reserve as cover
for Valenciennes, Journal and Ghent
and also for Brussels. But they had
hardly time to settle themselves in
1t before it was crumpled and broken.
Once more Ludendorff's retreat was
too slow and irresolute. That has
been the vice of almost every Ger
man retirement on the West front
since July 1S last. The Allied pur-
suit has not been eluded long enough
to organize really alright defen-
sive position. So the German re-
treat has been one long disjointe6
operation, without any definite end in
sight. 1t has not been "stra tegical
retirement" as the German General
Staff claims. 1t has been a slow and
costly recoil under superior Allied
pressure.
Yesterday, for practical purposes,
the Scheldt line went glimmerine.
In the sector east Of Roulers, where
the German defence has been flab-
best, the British Second Army
pushed clear across the tan-mle
stretch between the Iys and the
Scheldt and enveloped Audenarde,
OH the west bank of the Scheldt, half
way between Client and Tournai.
Further north the French and Bel
gians are only FIVE miles west Of
Ghent. To the south the British
First Army is on the west bank of
the Scheldt near Journal. And at
the southern extremity of the line
Valenciennes is rapidly being en-
veloped.
The German line of defence quit
the Scheldt at Valenciennes and
turned southeast to LIE Quesnoy and
Avesnes, following the line of the
main lateral railroad from Valen-
ciennes to Hirson. The Valley of
the Scheldt continues southwest to
Denain and thence to Cambria. The
British took Denain on Sunday.
That town is five miles southwest of
Valenciennes. Yesterday they ad-
vanced east to Haulchin, also on
the Scheldt, three miles southwest Of
Valenciennes and only about two
miles west Of the railroad to Hirson.
In addition the British took st.
Amand, OH the Scarpe River, about
seven miles north-northwest of Va
lenciennes.
The forcing of the Scheldt at
Audenarde would turn the German
position in Flanders, already totter-
ing at Journal and other points. So
far as Belgium is concerned, the
abandonment Of the Scheldt line
would mean German withdrawal
to line covering Antwerp, Brussels
and Mons. So far as the Valen-
ciennes sector Of France is concerned,
it means retreat to Mons and Maui
beuge.
Below Valen:iennes the German
situation is also critical. The Brit
ish are within a few miles of LIE
Quesnoy, on the sole direct line Of
communication between the northern
German armies and those above Laon
and Rheims. Northeast of LIE Cateau
the British have reached the Sambre
Canal and the Sambre River, which
pass along the southern edge of the
Forest of Normal toward Maubeuge.
Down the Scmbre Valley is nat
ural highway to the frontier, now
hardly twenty miles away. At
Aulnoye, on the Sambre, the Valen-
ciennes-Hirson railroad would again
be cut. The Allies would also be on
the right flank and rear of the Ger
man forces left in the Guise salient
and in the region above the Serre
River. Foch's present plans seem
to call for an Allied advance north
east ON both sides of the Normal
Forest.
The German government has asked