Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-30
THE TENTH DAY

"A present Allied position in France,
appears to have been the central objective
of the German drive. The advance upon
Amiens has been stopped. Instead OF
advancing their active line at the middle,
as they appear to have intended. the
Germans are now battling furiously at
its ends and floundering upon the edge
of a catastrophe that may develop in
few hours with great counter offensive.
The ten days of the greatest battle OF
history have been for the Allied COM
manders the grimmest test Of human
patience ever inflicted upon men. The
stats have time and again seen the fate
of the world swing upon the decision Of
a flying minute. Against every tempta-
tion, sometimes at appalling risks. they
appear to have held all their major re-
serves behind while the opposing armies
beat themselves to death against the re-
firing line.
Amiens is Il city Of about 100000 popu-
lation. 1t might be described roughly as
lying at the intersection of the three
arms of letter Y. The line represented
by the base of the letter is an elaborate
water and rail transport system that
runs in almost a straight line to Calais
and Boulogne. The flaring arms of the
letter represent a continuation of these
lines which feed the Allied armies over
hundreds of miles. An interruption mt
Amiens would probably necessitate the
immediate retirement of the French,
British and American armies from the
north of France and Belgium to defensive
positions along the "Pars line" of 1914.
The German forces thrust themselves
between the two flying arms of the trans
port lines running out from Amiens, but
every effort at a decisive advance in that
direction was stopped. Their advance
lines might now be illustrated by the
diagram of a fist, or that of an inflated
balloon projecting far forward into the
Allied position. The French, waiting
! patiently, attacked eXperimentally at
the lower angle, where the German
| lines leave their old position, and appear
| to be feeling their way for move which
shall cut through at the point where the
| line grew weakest in the outward fare.
If anything like pity for a German
commander is possible cit must he felt
now for the man who must attack the
British position to the north near Arras.
There Marshal Haig has withdrawn his
men to the high hills, and the terrain is
such that 10 follow the only course open
to them and try to double around the
British the Germans must pass through
veritable inferno, where the ad-
vantages are all against them. And yet,
tired out at the middle Of the line and
unaware Of what is to happen at either
end, the Germans must face it out, con-
tinue their advance or prepare for retire
ment. Once again they must take Nimy
Ridge or fail.
The present advance, therefore, is not
to be compared to the advance which
carried the Germans almost to Paris in
1914. At one point, in the lower salient
where the French are holding the line,
the Germans advanced even further than
they did in 1914. but later developments
made it appear that they were permitted
to move forward for reasons best known
to the Allied command. Now the first
force of their attack seems to be spent,
and they have not advanced third of
the distance which they covered in the
lunge of 1914. They can go little further
till the defensive lines are broken. And
it is reasonably sure now that the de-
fensive lines are not going to break.
Every pronouncement from Allied
headquarters, the movement of General
Foch, the most brilliant of the French
strategists, 10 the first command, make
it appear that new operations on vast
scale are in preparation against the Ger
mans. To prophesy or guess about such
movements is idle. The expected thing
does not happen in military strategy
The strength of the Allied forces has
been revealed now and then, in flashes
whenever the central advance of the
Germans seemed to imperil the main
lines from Amiens. The decisive action
may be amazing when it develops. The
Germans are weakened, that much is
apparent on the face of the situation
And the Allied reserves aren't.