South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-09-15
THE ALLIED CAMPAIGN REACHES THE GREAT CRISIS

all that he sought to accomplish when ne began the
thrust along the Somme Aug. s.
The whole clash Of the strategists for the past
I'VE weeks has been over the condition in which
Ludendorns armies would arrive the Hindenburg
line All the swift blows Of Foch have been directed
at accomplishing two things at breaking down the
resources Of the at shaking their morale
ia lSl' hlndenourg retired 10 his positions be
hind the Somme battle field with absolute freedom Of
movement The pursuit was not organized until the
escape was accomplished He did leave 5000
prisoners in drawing army nearly million back
over front Of a hundred miles to a depth Of %
miles in various places. He thus retained freedom of
action, and when Hag attacked at Arras and Nfveue
north OF scissors the able 10 beat both
down by counter attacks AMI the r,orals of
his troops not affected for they saw the retreat
as piece Of successful strategy
In the present case. however, Ludendorn has been
less lucky We may after the second Marine
ne knew that he must draw his troops in Picardy
whether 10 the line of the Canal du Nord and the
upper Somme or TO the Hndenburg line is immaterial
ouL ms own purpose was TO effect the retirement
in his own time way We saw him begin this in
the first days Of August by drawing troops back
behind the Anore and the Avre and starting d SINH
lar limited and boca retreat in the Lys salient But
the moment he began these Withdrawals Foch
upon him with tiger spring.
STRIKES SERIES OF
SWIFT HEAVY BLOWS.
What has happened since has been series OF swift
heavy blows delivered along tie line which have
compelled the German to halt and fight to abandon
his plan of orderly retreat enemy
further advance would bring disaster Foch over
the retiring before they organize heir
withdrawal and the result has been battles in which
artillery and under the most unfavorabe conditions
We may gather how unfavorable these conditions
have been by the fact that between and sept
s. that is, in the period OF a single month 10000
German prisoners have been taken. But this
detail. Remember the main purpose Of Luderiorn
was 10 get back 10 the selected line and
when he got back strategic reserve a mass of ma
neuver, unexpended balance Of fresh divisions.
call the thing what you will. which would enable him
10 do what Joffre did the Marine and Foch o. the
same battle field four years later namely, take the
offensive again.
Instead he constantly to put his
reserves, strictly limited in numbers back into the
furnace TO the troops attacked by n
retirement from utter ruin. You may illustrate the
thing by simple figure. A with a fixed income
and a small accumulation in the bank. away
rainy day is striving 10 live his income leaving
his savings for the future business becomes
that his capital has be fed into the daily expense
and when the evil dag comes he will find himself
what Foch has sought and LudendOr has endeal ored
o avoid.
In ga the German general was satisfied that
they had beaten Jofre heavily the opening bat
commander had the bank. This was the
object of German strategy and the days o
September four years they satisfied that
they had attained their object and accordingly.
risked everything at the Marine But they
taken; Joffre had reserves they availa BILE
and by putting them i'm he the battle Marine
and saved France and the world from incalcuable
consequences Of German supremacy.
HAS LUDENDORFF
ANY RESERVES?
What is the situation i'm 1912 This is the present
question the great question Ludendorn been able
to preserve "a of divisions sufficient TO take
the offensive and throw FOch back, halt his adv
until the few brief weeks campaigning yea are
come. been able 10 two things to harry the
Germans sufficiently TO exhaust their available