New-York tribune., 1918-10-03
Washington Sees Grip on
Northern France and
Belgium Broken
Retreat Likely
To Become Rout
Enemy Hinged by Wall of
Victorious Armies Over
the Whole Front

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1.-The German
grip on Northern France and Belgium
has been definitely broken. Even the
most cautious military observer in
Washington agreed tonight that the
Hindenburg line was disintegrating,
and army officers centred their whole
attention on the efforts Of the German
leaders to extricatc their armies with
out a crushing disaster.
Outfanked in Belgium and in the
Champagne, the great German zone of
defensive works known as the Hindcn-
burg line already was becoming untcn-
able when Field Marshal Haigs men
smashed through it TO- day Just north of
st. Quentin. The immediate invest
mcnt Of the city by French troops and
the swift widening of the breach north
ward, coupled with the continued rapid
progress of French, Belgian and Brit
lsh forces III Belgium, it is thought
here, may possibly upset the whole Ger
man scheme of retirement, which al
ready had begun on the Rheims front
British penetration of the line, it wa
said, may furnish Marshal Foch with a
means to cmbarrass the German re-
treat, always with the possibility of
preclpltating a veritable rout.
Hike Vast Tap
Hinged by Il wall of victorious en-
cmies over the whole front from the
North Sea to Verdun, the situation of
the Germans is undoubtedly grave
The drive in Belgium is menacing vital
communications on one side, and Amer
lcan and French troops in the Cham
pagne are surging forward toward
equally vital supply lines on the other.
The battle line is assuming the shape
of vast trap thrusting its jaws out to
cngulf the German armies.
German leaders have seen their
danger. Official reports 10 the State
Department to-day indicated that
evacuation il the submarine bases on
the Belgian coast was imminent.
There also is conclusive evidence
that the evacuation of the lines be-
fore Rheims is we'll under way. The
question uppermost in the minds of
army officers here is whether the Ger
man high command has acted in time
Announcement from Paris that
1000 prisoners were taken by the
French yesterday in operations be-
tween the Ncsle and the Aisnc Rivers
Is significant of the difficulty of get
ting troops Back safely ou of an
abandoned hghing line. There has
ben no hin Of a French attack on a
large scale on this front, and the
Berlin statements have characterized
the movement as withdrawal. Only
narrow front was involved. vet 1000
men left as rear guards were captured
10 withdraw the whole 25O-mile
front where the Allies and American
forces are charging forward day after
day, Will be stupendous task. With
instantly increasing superiority of
numbers and gun power resting with
Marshal och observers here believe
the retreat will be difficult bevond
words. There was no possibility. il
was said of forccasting what MIGHT
happen.
There arc several places on the from
Whcrc the situation appears particular
~ critical. Officers said evacuation ot
the Belgian coast probably would he
forced on the enemy in an effort tc
avert an even more serious reverse il
the Lille sector. The British wing NJ
the drive in Belgium is hammerinr a,
the vital supply lines of the Lille salien,
on one side, and the steady advance O.
other British forces northeastern re-
from the positions south Of Douai i:
aimed at the only other route of escape
from the rapidly forming pocket.
Already the large enemy forces hold
ing the depths of this pocket face tn,
necessity of passing along the British
front on the Lys if the best lines o.
Withdrawal are followed
Some officers here think the German,
figure that surrender of the Beloiar
coast line will draw the French ane
lgian armies in that direction. thu,
easing the strain against the Lille tri
angle OF towns long enough to permi
them to carry out a withdrawal.
Critical Situation in South
To the south another critical situa
ton is devloping. seems certain +,
/ officers here that the German leader
/ planned to withdraw slowly from tn,
most advanced ground they hold aobu
Rheims. gradually Strengthening an,
/ shortening their lines as they went
and with the movement screened bv
machine gun rear-guard battle. Th
! British smash north of st. Quentin