Evening journal., 1918-07-22

Nerdun has been extended four hun
dred miles. From the Alps TO the
North Sea the watchword OF the Allies
Is ION ne passe pas p They shall not
pass And they do not pass. They press
forward, wave on wave. They gain
some ground, at such a cost In human
lives as never was paid before for land
in all the history OF the world. But
they do not break the Allied line
Whether the drive be toward Ypres or
Amiens, In Champagne or In the death
angle Of the 0urcq and Marne they do
not reach their objective They have
not passed. They are not passing. They
will not and they shall not pass.
This Is the story OF their four sue
cessive spring drives. made in the course
Of less than three months, OF which
the fourth came TO an end last week.
IL was the fourth and also the feeblest.
The first was decidedly the strongest
and most effective, That was the
fierce rush toward Amlens. Just three
months ago; so fierce and far that only
an unconquerable faith in God and the
necessary triumph OF the right saved
men from dlsmay and despair. At that
time the Huns advanced about IS miles
and occupied 915 square miles OF land.
Worst Of all, they captured 10000 pris-
oners end 1900 guns. Even so, they
paid too much for their whistle"
Their loses were so tremendous that
when three weeks later they essayed a
second drive. at Ypres, their effort was
comparatively weak. Their greatest
advance was not more than ten miles
Of
were gained, while the number Of pris-
oners was not more than 10000, and
that OF guns taken was scarcely 200.
More than six weeks then elapsed,
from the beginning OF that second drive,
before another was undertaken. That
was in Champagne, and because OF the
long rest and the bringing in OF fresh
levies from Austria and Russia II was
made more vigorous and effective than
the second though it did not reach the
proportions Of the first. The maximum
advance was not more than 81 miles,
the area occupied was perhaps go
square miles, and $1,000 prisoners and
800 guns were taken. Close upon the
heels Of this came the fourth, which
began and ended last week. 1t pushed
the German line forward not more than
six miles at any point, and gained not
more than iS0 square miles, and took
only 1900 prisoners and $50 guns
For thus maintaining their own lines
unbroken, and holding the Huns back
from all important Objectives, the Al
lied armies are entitled TO grateful
praise They have done magni1cently, /
especially since they have been able |
to inflict upon the enemy far greater
losses than they themselves have suf-
fered. Yet they have not won victory.
That is the fact which must be borne /
in mind. They have prevented the en-
emy from winning, that is all. De-
fence, however successful, is not deci-
siye victory. II does not win war.
Long enough continued, indeed, the |
process might by attrition wear out the
attaching force and thus compel 1t tol
desist. We do not believe that Ger
many can put enough men into the
field TO purchase the rest OF France at
the rate at which she has paid for
what she has taken in these four drives
But for her TO realize that and there
fore TO desist from further drives and
assume the defensive instead OF the OF
fensive. would not be the victory for
the Allies which they are seeking and
which they must have.
II would be folly TO hope, however
for even so mucho as that Germany
has reached that point, or thai realiza-