The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-10-04
BY W. L. Mcpherson
right 1918. New York Tribune

lnc.)
L.udendorfr has thrown the linden
burg limo into the discard. The German
retreat out Of the far-famcd positions
on which the German high command
confidently hoped to bring Foch's Of
fensive to an inglorious standstill has
already begun So tar Il has been most
marked on the Flanders front
Only nine days ago ex-C'hancellor Won
lIcrtling was saying tc. the main com
Iuittcc Of the lscichStag: The iron wall
Of the Western front cannot be broken"
Tho Hindcnburs line Was that iron
wall" 1t vas constructed at an enor-
NOUS expense in labor and material 1t
was the last word in the science Of rigid
fronts and defensive poSitional warfare.
1t WAS the strongest defensive line the
German armies have ever stood on. Yet
it has crumblcd like plaster before rs
concentrated power OF the new-schuol
open warfare offensive.
Some weeks ago. when Hornc's First
British Army dashed through and over
the Qucant-Drocourt linc--an important
subsidiary Of the HindenburG line cast
Of Arras-the finish OF all the clabor-
ATE German defence systems in France
was clearly foreshad"wed. When Won
Itertlng spoke of The iron wall Of the
Western frunt"-cnriSaginE it as IN I'M
pregnahle mechanical obStruction-ho
committed a solecisnl. The only wall
with which Germany can defend her
conQuests in France and with which she
will soon be forced to defend her own
borders. is wall of German infantry.
just as the only wall which barred Luz
dendorff last spring and summer from
the Channel ports and from Paris was n
wall Of heroic British Tommics and
French poilus.
1t may be admitted that In the Marine
and Picardy salicnts the Germans. taken
by surprise. fought At 4 disadvantage.
But on the Hindenburg line they have
had all the benefits Of q straight. well
! covered, long prepared front. strong ma
turally and greatly siren gthcncd artifi-
cially. In the battle along that front
for the last two OF three weeks there
has been no element OF surprise. 1t was
test pure and simple. of morale and
quality Of the opposing armies. II was
4 test made under circumstances highly
favorable TO the Germans. But the Ger
nan infartr? could not meet the test.
II has been clearly and dcciSlvely beat
cn---wUrstcd ut every point 1t must 70
hack to seek new lines of defence with
the consciousness that II has been COM
plctely outclaSScd on its own terrain and
under conditions or its own choosing.
When Ludcndorff rallied on the Hin
dcnburg line It was u series or power
full. smoothly ironcd out positions. When
he drew away from ii II had been bat
tered and twisted out OF shape. Two
dangerous SalicntS in II had already
been created by Fochs persistent STRAIT
cgy of infiltration.
One of these was In the south. The
Germans wisely drawing out OF the
weak I.ys Valley salicnt--the barren
fruit OF the second 1.udendOrff offensive
had halted west of La Hassee and
hrmcntieres and on the heights east and
southeast Of Iprrs. They stood there
while Foch. further south. was driving
steadily against St. Quentin and Cam
brni. When the British reached the
neighborhood Of Cambrai and faced
Douai from the south ana southwest