The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-09-04
GERMANS TO MAKE FINAL
STAND AT FORTS IN BELGIUM
Hindenburg Line Now Unten-
able and French Soil Affords
No Good Opportunity for De-
fense.
LudendOrff Will Withdraw His
Armies from France in His.
. tOry's Greatest Defeat.
(e Newspaper Enterprise Ass'n.)

" newspaper CUSSVpVS0e A80 U.)
London, Eng, Sept. 4.-With the al.
lied armies pounding ahead toward the
Hindenburg line from Arras to Suis.
sons and rapidly outflanking il at both
ends, it becomes apparent that Luden-
dOrff will not be able to halt his great
retreat at his famous and strongly
fortified line.
The question of greatest interest to
observers Of the great battle then be.
comes, where will the Germans stop
after they quit the Hindenburg line?
There seems little doubt now that
the Huns are engaged in a great re-
treat which will not stop until Foch's
hammering tactics permit it. The
northern end of the Wotan section OF
the Hindenburg line, from Arras to
Queant. has already been flalIed by
the British, who are four miles De-
yOnd it.
North of scissors General Mangin' S
French army, with American units, is
acting in accord with the thanking pro-
gram and driving toward the linden
burg line, where it comes down to-
ward Coucy-le-Chateau and turns off
to the east. Several towns have been
captured in this advance, and the ia
nous line will be reached within a few
days.
Great Withdrawal Near.
Thus flanked from both ends. a
withdrawal on a grand scale will
become necessary for the Germans
which will force them completely out
Of France, except perhaps for small
salient in the vicinity of Verdun. 1t
will be the greatest military disaster
In history .-.E.
This retreat will have to be accom-
plished rapidly to enable the Germans
to make stand on their, new line
before winter sets in. There will be
no time to fight rearguard actions.
The flight will have to be as pre-
cipitate one as that from the Marne
in 1914-but on a much vaster scale.
Beyond question thousands of prison
ers and guns will be left in the hands
Of the allies. German military power
will be forever crushed. 1t will only
be necessary then for Foch to wait
until spring permits the resumption
of hostilities to drive the Germans
back to their own borders.
<A0 AOA LAO AOAL uCl 1luO, IL HluOL
be located miles behind the linden
burg positions, for the territory be-
tween the present front and the
Franco-Be'gian border is not such as
will permit making stand.
Will Stop in Belgium.
Just inside the Belgian border, how
ever, is line of Notifications erect
ed by the Belgians over which the Ger
mans swept in their rush of 1914. This
line runs roughly from Ypres through
Roubaix, Tournai, Mons, Charler0i
and Namur to Liege.
Some of these fortified cities, not
ably Liege, Namur and Char roi,
were destroyed or damaged by the
German siege guns in the first weeks
of the war, but they still present the
best positions for final German
stand on occupied territory.
Eetween the present front and this
line are few strategic lines of defense
which would be valuable, except the
cities of Mezieres and Maubeuge,
which are many miles apart.
It seems most likely to lritish OBJ.
S rvers therefore. that the German
retirement, once the Hindenburg line
is broken. will extend to the B'elgian
border and back of it before snow
flies.