The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1918-09-20

contingent OF american FORCES 6enS 10
France as war correspondent for the
New York Tribune and had excep-
tlonaI opportunities to study conditions
on the Western front)
The great couSterblow of Foch now
has entered its third phase. First we
had the second battle of the Marine,
then the third battle Of the Somme,
and now the allied forces are engaged
dn what we may call the battle of st.
Mlhiel
The strategy of l'Och has consisted
in constantly shifting the point of at
tack. Whenever the German army has
reached an extremely strong position
and turned to accept attack, Foch has
struck at some other point. Thus the
French offensive was curtailed as soon
as the Germans made their strong
stand on the Vesle, and the British eff
fort was allowed to diminish In force
with the arrival of the Germans at the
Hindenburg line. Foch might have
been able to make further progress on
either of these earlier fronts, but he
counted the cost He was not prepar-
ed to accept battle where the Germans
invited 1t.
Roads Destroyed by Foe.
We should remember that the Brit
ish armies have been advancing over
roads destroyed by the Germans The
whole territory over which Haig's men
have been operating Is barren waste.
No surprise is possible in that region
just now, and time is needed to bring
up heavy guns and supplies and to re-
pair transport lines.
But Foch anticipated the sackenlng
of the British offensive For weeks
the American army has been preparing
for the st. Mihiel offensive. 1t Is true
that the attack Is not altogether a sur
prise. The move follows accepted
strategy. Having found the enemy
strongly concentrated In the center,
Foch has shifted the attack to flank.
If the move led by Pershing goes far
enough retirement at the center can
be forced without paying the cost of
u direct frontal attack. Although the
Germans had good reason to expect an
attack in Lorraine, II was not possible
for them to mass reserves at that
point
The position of the allies la now en-
inently satisfactory, but there is still
danger of overoptimsm. Ii must not
be overlooked that, although the Ger
man army has met grave defeat, II
has escaped disaster. From a tactical
standpoint the later phases of the Ger
man retreat We're exceedingly sklllful
They showed that the German General
Staff Is still a dangerously able body
On the other hand, the morale of the
German rank and file has been shaken.
Even the most mastery retreat Is not
apt to inspire the man in the ranks
with enthusiasm. Just how far the
American offensive will go remains to
be seen. At present 1t seems somewhat
above the possibilities. to speak of the
capture of Metz The offensive is
hardly as great as that In scope. The
plnching out of the st. Mihlel salient
should be sufficient achievement.
Trench Warfare Likely.
The task of turning the German out
of France and Belgium waits for an
will see resumption of trench war
fare, with the Boche strictly on the de-
Tense. The offensive In Lorraine may
be followed ultimately by another flank
attack In the North FOch.is determin-
ed to keep up the mental pressure I'M
der which Germany is now suffering.
In addition, then, to his manifold
military duties, Foch must be some
thing of mass psychologist. Having
shaken German morale 1t is now his
task TO prevent it from being built up
again. OF course II is q question just
how that Is to be done The French
leader may choose TO sit tight and let
the Germans stew In lnaction, with the
constant threat of a big Spring Often
sive ever before them.
Small Attacks All Winter.
IT Is probable that there will be al
lied attacks against the very center of
the German positions, but these are
likely tO~be limited offensives These
small scale attacks may be kept up
through the winter, and should afford
one excellent method of keeping the
tired and worried Boche still more
tired and troubled.
1t is also certain that there will be
enormous allied activity In the air.
More than ever before will the back
areas receive their nightly toll of
bombs Constant attack from the air
Is one of the best ways to delay the
recuperatiOn of an army Frequent
trench raids are also useful, and we
may expect to see these.
Even the man at home can do some
thing to keep German morale at the
point where Foch has forced it. He
can attain two-fold objective, by buy
Ing Liberty Bonds. The success of the
Fourth Liberty Loan Will be a factor
In convincing Germany of the ever
growing will TO win IN America, and
the money which he lends to the gov
eminent will be directly employed In
the manufacture of guns and airplanes
and tanks and other war material
which will assure to the allied armies
the. power to bend the German line
wherever they may choose to attack.
WHY SHE MoURNED.