The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-10-23

EQS1a0HS TO w flC10 EISUly lS GAINCt-
ed TO Retire Will Increase Number
OF Men Available for Resistance on
Greatly Shortened Front-Matter
m Tremendous importance to Fu-
ture Operations Of Armies Under
FochrThree Main Branches to
ssTree,' Constituting New Lines.
Z New York, Oct 20.-Events Of the
past three months, involving the ebn
Hide OF invasion in France and Bel
giurn, have emphasized the import
anee OF the German defensive systems
witch have been prepared by the foe
for just the emergency which now
confronts him, The allied world is
ssaaying the war maps to determine
how far the present German retire
ment may be expected to continue
and what the entente armies may ex-
pect when they reach the front where
the Germans will stand at bay.
The German defensive lines resem-
bic tree with three main branches.
The trunk Of this tree" has its roots
at the Swiss frontier and continues
north as far as Metz, where it divides
into two branches. The westerly
branch runs to the northwest as far
as the; Meuse River, where II sepa-
rates, one limb" crossing the Meuse
and running westward, after which 1t
seems. to the north on a long curve
The other fellows the Meuse down as
Tar as Namur, whence It runs TO
Brussels and Antwerp and thence .
the Dutch frontier.
Fhe branch which crosses the Meuse
is the first that must be broken by
the allies. In fact, recent British
and Belgian victories in Belgian Fan
ders seem to have rendered large
part of this line untenable as per-
r1anent defensive position.
ssrhis lire crosses the Meuse at Dun
goes through the Argonne forest and
then follows the Aisne River as far
as Refhel, where it turns north and
masses near Guise and Solesmes. Il
continues, northward past Va]en-
ciennes and reaches the Scheldt at
Condes It runs along the Scheldt past
Tourglai and Ghent, where it turns 10
the eastward and reaches Antwerp
Tfais is the 'tHunding line
The second line, known as the
sEaue Of the Meuse," is established
0n the east bank Of the Meuse River
norfhward from Dun. It passes Sedan
and Mezieres and enters Belgium just
to- 4lle southwest of Dinant. At4Na-
mar 1t leaves the river and runs to
BRUSSELS, continuing on to Antwerp
where IL soinsgthe "Hunding line,
aid continres. on the Dutch frontier.
s-s..Ehe third, lire is the original de-
fenss zones along the German. frontier
South of Metz 1t is centered around
the 81 permanent forts about Ssrass-
btfg runs over the high and
spNeeipitous hills on the Nosges Noun
Misfs and is several miles deep.
Z s, At:tMetz the Germans have con-
strficted 2S. great frots which are 50
located as to command all approaches
and; st the same time, capable Of con-
centrating their fire on any one fort
which happens to be entered by the
allies.
Northwest of Metz is the great iron
field OF Briey. The importance Of this
from deposit has compelled the Ger
mans to convert the. whole country
there into veritable fortress. This
line runs along the boundary between
France and Germany. bending to the
northeast until it reache sthe Luxem-
burg line.
IF this belt should be pierced the
Germans may fall back to the Saar-
brnecken and Kaiserslautern regions,
interspersed by rivers and high wood
ed hills, which lend themselves admir-
ably to defense operations
East OF Luxemberg it is reported
the Germans have devoted a great
deal of time and labor to the con-
struction Of permanent Notifications.
The country along the Belgian from
tier between Luxemberg and Holland
is dominated by Coblenz. which Mar
shal Foch considers the key TO Ger
many. In this area is Bonn, a for
tress of the first class, and Cologne,
which is protected by a broad belt Of
cntrenchments and a series Of strong
holds running along the western
side OF the Rhine until that river
passes into Holland
Should the three lines mentioned be
broken, Or II the allies should break
through between Metz and the Swiss
frontier, the Germans would be COM
PEELED to fall back into Germany
proper or to the south, to cross the
Rhine. This historic river is really
the western moat of the Tertonic cas-
tie: It's whole eastern bank is strong
~ fortified and would be capable of
aprotracted defense. This line of re-
sistance begins at Lahr and runs down
the Rhine through Offenburg, Ras-
TAFT, where American prisoners of
war are quartered; karlsruhe, Mann
helm, Darmstadt, Widesba den, Ben
dorf, Kalk, Densburg and Wesel.
In their retirement from their
present positions the, Germans will
be able to shorten their lines mater
ia!ly and thus increase the number of
men available for assistance along
their new fronts. The Hunding Line
is about 20 miles shorter than the
IIiudenbure system which is now but