Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-05-31
GERMANS DRIVE
IS LOSING FORCE.
RESERVES BLOCK
FURTHER PUSH
Resistance of Both Wings of Allies
Armies Inspires Confidence That
Hun Can't Win Fight.
GEN. FOCH WILL
PICK BATTLE FIELD
Momentary Advance of Enemy
Under Existing Circumstances of
Little Moment is Official View.
Nv Associated Press 70 Every Evening

Nv Associated Press To Every Evening
PARIS. Nav 3 The extreme point ot
tho German advance IL lie Charmed. about
two miles north Of the river Marnc
according To an outline Of the battlefront
As marked out by newspaper correspond
cnts the Hayas agency SAYS
The fighting front Il Is declared, runs
as follows: From Chavigny, north of
SCISSORS. il describes 4 circles west OF that
city and rejoins the river Crise south OF
scissors Then II goes to Berry, follows
the Sossons-C hateua Thierrv road until
near hartennes where il bends southeast
TO Grand Rozoy Thence southwark,
leaving Mulchv-l4e4 ,hateau, II passes
NAnteail- No,Tedarne 2nd advances toward
the Marine to Conrcy, BREEZY. Courpoil
and lie Charmed, which marks It's extreme
southern point.
Through yeziliy, Eromlet Savlgny and
Thiiois it runs northeastward TO the
FnvJrons Of Rheims.
The newspapers do not attempt to
minimize the Importance OF the German
advance
hun BLOW LOSING FORCE
Gabriel IIanotaux. in the tagaro,
compares the strategic situation with that
on the eve of the battle of the Marine AL
the commentators, however, express con
fdence that the high command will 80
dispose the Allied troops a 10 restore the
situation, which /. Iiomme blbre considers
TO have reached its maximum point Of
gravity yesterday
The PetIt Parislen SAYS the government
officials who saw the army chiefs returned
in the eveningostll confident, which It
regards as a good sign
1t IS the resistance of the two wings
Of the Allied forces which inspires the
confidence of all the military critics. o
take victorious advantage Of the succeS
they have 50 far gained the Germans must
succeed IN bending these two hinges
and all their efforts to DO this have up
TO this time been vain.
ALLIED RESERVES IN ACTION.
Another reason for the confident feeling
Is the arrival of allied reserves.
The Havas correspondent at the front,
who Is considered to reflect the official
view, thus summarizes the situation:
"The rapid advance of the enemy
IS due TO the temporary numerical IN
ferioritv of the Allies which has completely
changed the aspect of the struggle. 1t 3
necessary to go back TO the beginning OF the
the war for an analogous situation. THIS
is war of movement where two armies
manoeuvre under the open sky
GENERAL FocH's STRATEGY.
81 nder these conditions the momentary
advance Of an army and the capture of a
town may mean nothing The problem
Is more vast FOR its own reason Our
command did not hnd II advisable to
give battle either on the Somme or IN
! Flanders after the march offensive. 1t
confined itself To stopping the enemy
shall We accept battle tins time Is We
formerly accepted it on the Marine
That is the secret OF our command The
Germans have no illusions as to the value
Of the success they have gained They
know we have several million picked
troops IN manoeuyrlng MASSES which they
will have to encounter somewhere
PICKING FIELD OF BATTLE.
"If the enemy had the choice OF ground
for the offensive, we have the much more
important choice Of the field OF battle on
which Germany destlnles will toe decided
lit will be seen therefore, that there
is no ground for alarm We probably
are witnessing the prelimlnarles TO a
great battle which both sides wish Il
be decisive Consequently, it is com
prehensible that our commanders do not
act hurriedly, but strictly IN accordance
with plans agreed upon.