The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-07-24
FOCH HAS UPPERHAND
His Next Point of Attack
Is Causing Enemy
Much Worry.
GAIN T w O MILES
Fall of Oulchy de Cha
teau to rench Forces
Cause Satisfaction
in Capital.

Washington. July 25.--The fall ri
Oulchy de Chateau to the French
| forces today caused deep satisfaction
among military experts here. But this
news WAS for the moment forgotten
when reports were received that the
French had smashed the German
/ lines To the northwest of Nontdidicr
for gain of two miles.
at Is now apparent to all that Gen
eral Foeh has the upper hand said Il
prominent French officer. Where he
may strike next Is an interesting ques-
ton. but happily IL IL of far more
moment to- the German general staff
than II IL to- the allies. The Prus-
sian leaders have their hands full in
stemming the tide of allied advance
across the Marine. and If General Foch
row begins TO harry them with fcint $
ing attacks at widely separated points
of the front, the time will not be long
before the entire German army will
he denoralizcd by uncertainty and
dread"
From adsiccs from many sources
correlated by allied military attaches
here, IL now is clear that the Ger
mans can not hope to retain any
ground south of the yealc river. BY
the capture of Oulchy dc Chateau and
its neadby heights. the allies control
the single railroad which runs north
to the Nenie. This line can be used
from Fere-en- Tardcnois north of the
new German line, If the allied aviators
have not blown 1t to bits long before,
this time. \ series of small mineral
railroads and tramways leading mort h
west from the western side of the
salient also can be used by the Ger
mans In speeding mp the evacuation oi
the salient.
The outstanding point In the days
news, however. il considered here to
be the increa sing evidence that tho al
lies have theoretically assumed the
offensive all along the line and that
there is reason to expect new drives
and feints to be launched ut almost
any place or time.
An American officer who recently
returned from the front said:
The Germans now must assume
the defensive. In other words, they
are forced to the position of being
called upon to find out where the next
great thrust will he attempted. L,
means that the test of mobility. the
test of rapid transportation now will
be made upon the rail and motor ser.
vices of the Germans. The war Is en-.
tering its crucial phase"
NJ F.. Debility. a deputy high conn
missioner of the French high corn.
mission to the United States, TODAY re.
viewed the success OF the allied conn
ter-onensise of the past week. He
said.
THE French and Americans have
crossed the Marine and have pushed
the Germans back to the line ON Ro-
courf-St. Martin. Epieds. Charteves
and Chateau-Thicrry. taking about t.
600 prisoners and 400 machine guns
in this district.
THE enemy still is opposing n des-
perate resistance and throws continu-
ously new divisions into the battle.
HIS main effort IL directed on the
wings. where he Is endcavoriug to
maintain his positions Mt any price, in
order to save the troops engaged on
the Marine. But already the German
counter attack. led by fresh divisions
south OF scissors, have been check ed
by the French and American troops
fighting I'm close touch, and new en-
envy attacks, between Rheims and the
Argonne also have entirely failed.
Thus 1t seems that the Germans
will have to retreat further north
of the Marine and the allied success
may still he pushed further on
After studying the latest dispatches
decodcd at the war department., Sec
rotary Of War Baker said late to-
day:
THE situation is generally good and
the progress of the attacks arc salts
factory"