Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-08-05
FIRESLIGHT FOES
MARINE RETREAT
Enemy Applies Torch to
Supplies Abandoned
in Retreat
MAY TRY NEW STROKE
Ieutons Have Troops, But De.
feat Has Broken Their
Morale
MAY TRY NEW STROKE
By WALTER DURANTY
Special Gable TO Evening Public Lcdoey

oPec'dt Ldbte to Evening Public Ledger
COPYRIGHT, 1918. bD Neto York Times Co.
with the French Armies, Aug. s.
The Allies are advancing VIGOROUSLY
along the whole Soissons-Rheims front
AS indicated in Fridays dispatch, II
was their progress on the southeas stern
corner of the Scissors plateau that en-
abled the Franco-British to turn the
strong enemy position and master the
Crise Valley.
once that was taken the enemy real
lied that the game of resistance was
up for the moment. and a swift retreat
imperative.
Late Friday evening General Man.
gins left entered Scissors, brushing
aside without difficulty the somewhat
half-hearted attempts to bar his way
The latest information places our ad-
vance guard along the Aisne from Pom
miers to VenizeL The center is ap-
preaching Vesle in the region of
Braisne.
Further east. toward Rheims, cav
airy has reached the river between
Jonchery and Champigny.
On the right and left of the battle
the enemy has already crossed the
river, destroying bridges behind him.
In the center the operation of passage
continued throughout the night, and
the whole front was lit up by innunr-
erable fires where the enemy was burn
ing material whose transport was i'm
possible. No less than fourteen huge
blazes were counted. and the total loss
of material since July Is must be pro-
digious.
The Allied progress on the wings is
especially significant as rendering nec-
essary the enemy's retreat
The second battle of the Marne, If less
dramatic and involving narrower
front than the first, has produced an
identical result. whose Importance is
hardly less great than that of the 1914
battle.
Praise for Germans Retreat
At the same time, it would be mis-
take to build over-extravagant hopes
for the immediate. future. French SOL
diers. from commanding generals to
privates, agree in giving the boche
credit for the skillful nature of a re-
treat carried out in difficult circum-
stances. The Germans have fought des-
perately 1t is pointed out, moreover,
that Hndenburgs line is not only con-
siderably shortened-this. of course.
applies equally to the Allies-hut
strengthened very materially by the
abandonment of the salient and the
nearness of his old supply and concen-
tration bases.
He is unquest!onably in a better po-
sition than before to launch the coun-
terstroke that his still existing
superiority of electives might warrant
and which the effect of The present dis
aster on the people at home will de-
mand.
For 1t must be remembered that in
the early spring the military party
staked it's authority and reputation
on a victorious offensive that would end
the war this summer. The policy of a
strong defensive that might seem the
wisest course now will be met in Ger
many by the challenge: IF it was not
true that you could beat the enemy in
the field, why didn't you adopt the de-
fensive before without wasting SO many
lives?" To which the military chiefs
have no reply.
A speedy attempt to retrieve the fail
ure is almost certain as an alternative
to throwing up the sponge entirely.
How far the morale of the enemy will