South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-05-05

for north south traffic. for the line which runs
south from Dunkir to Aens is already under fire ana
probably out of business for several miles Haze
No more difficult and enormous problem in war has
been presented than would be presented the
British be compelled retire southwark of the
slowly narrowing territory which they hold. At
Amiens the Germans would be a little than 10
miles from salt water but the British the Begians
10 the north much tnan a hundred miles from
Amiens. In a word the man on the limb is very far
out on the limb, and he is Enthusiastically very big
man who cannot rapidly
TACTICS ON VERDUN level
German tactics seem to have fallen to the YER
dun level. Aside from watching for the chance of
unexpected success at some point in the line which
could be Immediately exploited and to a material
change in front the German is seeking by local often
complete his conquest the whole the
positions of the British the Belgians occupied
by them March 21st, when ne began his great at
tack. He has broken through these positions
points astride the Somme and on either the
Lys. This has compelled a readjustment of
British lines about Ypres ana this produced the dislo
third considerable section of'the allied lines
There is in fact only considerable section of the
front of March 21s which mas not been disturbed and
that is the Belgian second section, the front the
British third about Arras. has been pushed back
only little but il is becoming compromised by the
German advance north and south of that town the
lys and the Somme II the German can snake the
British Arras. then he will produced dis
location of the entire British front and its withdrawal
toward the And each step he makes toward the
sea- the hazardous becomes the position Of the
troops TO the north. because while Ike line retires
shorten. troops remain just
away from the Somme before with much narrow
gateway get through in case they have to get
through it,
on the whole British positions get better they
retire the because the ground slopes east
ward and the highland is now behind the allies, except
about Amiens but this is considerable exception
since Amens is the vital point. the ground
proves for the defender. the communications do not.
very slight retirement from Arras between Arras
and Amens, would bring the German in range and Ell
fectve range of the railway coming
Dunkirk, which already between Dunkirk and
Arras Save for this line now only partially usabe
tho T2ritiS have no ORTIZ nd epH
that the channel coast from Calais down to the
mouth of the SOmme. BY this time all munitions. sup
plies materials be transported in of
retreat following a new German advance to the Dun
kirk-Amiens line.
EVACUATION WOULD BE DIFFICULT
1t is a very safe prediction to make that if the Ger
advance a dozen miles further westward
considerable front. they should reach the line of
Doulens, the British would have to aban
don all OF north the Somme and their
uation of this region would difficult in the extreme
and might bring disaster
Meantime the German is seeking produce just this
result He has temporarily abandoned the great attack
although probably only temporarily He is industrlcus
y undermining and breaking down the few remaining
anchorages of that British line, whch he assailed on
March He cannot forward further before
Amiens Hazebrouck until this is done KENNEL,
Dame de Vmy these the chief pillars of the
old line south of Ypres and north of Aras and when
these are gone then general withdrawal the
kirk-St. Omer-St POl-Doulens line is inevitable and
this is the last line when the Germans reach AMI
threaten this if they do retirement south of the
Somme is assured.
But supposin for the o ment that the British have
behind the Somme this will that the
Germans have won the even that decisive sue
which alone them their sacrifices 1t
that the loss of Dunkirk, Calais and BOuogne
will gravely handicap British transport for these
very important bases and Calais the British
have erected industrial establishments avoid
channel transport. But Havre and ROuen remain
important if less convenient British bases and there
are other ports south Of the Seine which can easily
be used.
Nor will the evacuation of this region France