Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-23

GERMANS BURN STORES
AND MUNITION DUMPS
Strong Resistance Near Oulchy Explained by Need of
Getting Supplies Moved North-Allied
Victory Spreads
Bv C.. H. PERRIS

, larger part. II had only one great high
road. that direct from Scissors to
Chateau-Thierry, by Ouchy-le- Chateau,
with branch that leaves II near Oulchy
and passes by Fere-en-Tardenois to the
Marne at Jaulgonne. The only north and
south railway is now under French fire.
and the only other one runs northeast
from near Oulchy to Bazoches, in the
Nesle Valley, branching back thence to
Soissons
The region Is thinly populated and
purely agricultural, an obscure country
side whose few rough tracks wind by
sleepy hamlets and lonely farms over
open beet fields and moors and along
small twisting dales.
The transport Of an army should be
its first care. I said the other day.
before our blow fell tnat Ludendorffs s
plan was open TO contemptuous criticism.
OF course. individual commanders will
be criticized. Won Boehm will probably
suffer as Won Kluck had to do in 1914.
His orders to push beyond the Marne,
however, must have come from Berlin.
and If right were done, 1t is the Crown
Prince. his superior, who would be
cashiered, for they showed a reckless
indifference to an attack from the west,
which must have been serious even II
Mangin's and De Goutte's armies.
Gains are Irregular
In the rapid advance which the Allies
made east OF the Soissons- Chateau
Thierry line the rate of gain has been
necessarily irregular, according to the
strength or weakness Of the resistance
encountered. The opposing reserves have
come in gradually here and there, ,and
fluctuations are produced in a struggle
of increasing severity.
Thus 1t becomes more difficult to state
the line that has been reached at any
given moment. Is a village or wood to
be regarded as held when the advance
when the enemy Is still counter-a tack
ing?
IF the French official bulletin errs at
all 1t is in an official sense All Of the
plateau in the corner overlooking Sois-
sons is in our hands. and virtually the
whole of the ground west of the line rum
ming due south of Mercin two miles west
of Scissors, on the Aisne to Bouresches
five miles northwest of Chateau-Thierry
1t is a splendid crown to the efforts OF
the armies of Mangin and De Gouette.
l spent Saturday afternoon with the
latter on the western edge of the forest
VI IielS-NolttIelS anu saw SlSnS
of the moral effect of the victory.
Frenchmen Americans; British. Italians
and native soldiers from Africa are
working together in a spirit of conrad
ship which is remarkable. The wounded
are going down to dressing stations or
hospitals: reliefs doing a hard tramp
down from the front with their backs
bent by the weight of heavy packs. rifle
and shovel or coming up to take their
places, are full of good cheer Haggard
faces light up with a smile of greeting
as you pass, as much as to say. II told
you so. but you wouldn't believe me.
wretched civilian"
In the cool, safe depth Of the forest
while there Is no binding dust of traffic
no firing sun glare, the camps have al
most picnic appearance. but that
passes as one goes east This moving
phase Of war does not carry with It the
devastation characteristic of the period
of fixed French lines. The eastern side
of the forest however, is a great deal
ravaged by shell fire. There are viii
lagos and fine old country houses whose
blocks of white sandstone have been
smashed as If by thousand Thor's
hammers.