Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-09-13
THE AMERICAN DRIVE
Foch's Deadly Strategy Revealed in Wha,
May Be the Wars Decisive Battle

| May Be the Wars Decisive Battle
WHAT Pershing's great new army un-
W dertook yesterday, when the news of
its sudden advance touched the imagina-
ton of the country like a blast of trum-
pets, was not an isolated or limited
action. The movement is one that my
flare and spread gradually into one
the greatest battles of all history and
sweep the war into new and unbcliev
able phase.
Deductions and prophecies. this early
and at this distance. are of little value. But
one thing was plain with the news of
concentrated force of more than 250,00O
| Americans turned loose at one of the key
| points of the enemy position. The Amer
leans are apparently attempting to clear
the way to Metz. Metz is the chief south
e-n support of the Hindenburg lines.
| Should it fall the German defense sys-
| tenn will be shaken and dislocated in
! every mile of its length from the sea to
Switzerland. German soil WHI be opened
up to hostile fire. And the German
armies south of the break will face rout
or capture.
Yesterdays cables from France were
like revealing light on many of the
haIf-seen and half-understood events of
recent days. The American drive in the
southern positions may explain why
Hindenburg and Ludendorff, in the inter
walls when they are not cursing or suppl
eating their weary armies, are having
such hard time in the attempt to main
tain the morale of their Kaiser. 1t sug-
gests, too, the motives that may have
sent Wilhelm himself, an ignobe and
fantastic figure, to sprinkle belated tears
about his fatherland and harangue sullen
munition workers with plants and apollo
gies.
We know now what General Won
Ardennc meant when he said the German
frontier was menaccd and it is possible
to perceive reasons for the headlong
backward fight of the German armies in
the last two months. The optimism at
London and Washington has a new mean
ing. And in the prospect opened up by
the American drive it is possible TO guess
at the uses which Pershing and his mon
will make of the stupendous artillery
that figures so largely in their equipment.
1t has been known for long time that
the Americans in France have a type of
gun that will fling shell hundred
miles. Once an Allied force got past
Metz and in positions dominating the
southern area west of the Rhine valley
guns of this sort could be moved slowly
northward to wipe out Systematically the
German border defcnses. To the German
commanders who have been outguessed,
outwitted and outfought in recent weeks
and who are now in the attitudes of men
whose minds are utterly tired and con-
fused, successful elimination of the
movement begun yesterday would have
the effect of a cataclysm. One part of
the elaborate defense system would be
left in loose and flying ends. A retire
ment of the Germans almost to their own
borders would be imperative if their
armies were not to be left in danger of
rolling up process and attacks from the
rear. There is already talk of retire
ment to line running from Antwerp to
Metz.
The city of Metz, toward which the
Americans are fighting, is the nerve
center Of a vast part of the German sys-
tenn in the east of France. 1t is focal
point of the supply system that main
tains the German armies further SOUTH
Similarly it is the focal point of the sys-
TEN which these same armies must use
in an extensive retirement. 1t isn't to be
supposed, therefore, that if there is any
fight left in the Germans they will give
up Metz without gruelng battle 1t
is a knowledge of the supreme impor-
tance of this vantage point which has led
the people at Washington to predict bit
ter and stupendous battles before the
present forward movement is halted
Then, too, the Americans may fail, as
other armies have failed in France, be-
fore the advance is completed. Under
such circumstances-which seem alto
gether unlkely-this country will lose
nothing of its high hopes or of its high
faith in its men. 1t is probable that we
shall experience some new sensations
before long. They are our own lads who
are now out, virtually alone, with the
burden of all the world upon their shoul-
ders and the eyes of all the world upon
them-our own lads who were here with
US only little while ago without any
thought of the great roles prepared for
them. 1t is almost unbelievable, this
sudden shift of events, to those who still
sense the war as something dim and far
and tabled.
They cannot jail - though they may
have to try it again. Because, somehow,
the immeasurable pride and affection of
IL.