The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-08-30
By Frank II. Simonds.

Copyright. 1915 by the New York Trlbuns)
NEW YORK, Aug 9-Ludendorits
retirement in consequence OF his de-
feat OF August &, has reached its last
phase. Having hung on the old line
l9l6-as long as possible to permit
the withdrawal OF guns, munitions and
material and the complete renovation
OF the Hindenburg line, he is nov exc
cutting a hell for leather" flight to
the place OF safety.
We had exactly the same thing in
the case OF the second battle OF the
Marine, when. following stubborn rear
guard actions on the heights above the
OurcQ Tor nearly a week. the Germans
suddenly made a dash backward for the
line OF the Vcsle and the Sunday pa
perS Of August 4 recited the list OF vii
lagos rcoccupled, just as the newSpa-
pcts are now giving a new list OF the
r]coccupied towns.
Byng's Advance Important.
In the case OF the Marine retreat the
question wa whether the Germans
would decide to stand at the NcSle or
the Ai,nc. Today the question is
whether he will halt at the line Ber-
Iucpurt- p%cronnc- Noyou. which is the
line OF the Tortille and Somme rivers
and the Noyon canal, or whether he will
go straight back to the Hludenburg line
In any event, he is going back TO the
pcronnc Noyon line which will be his
next resting place. But while the spec
~taCular advances OF the British and
French from Bapaume southwark are
attracting the attention OF the public
who follow the val by the headlines.
II Is actually true that the compare
lively insignificant advance OF Byng to
the north along the Scarpc IS Of far
greater importance. Thus. the capture
OF Monchy- lie. Preux, the Bots dare,
and Nis-cn-A rtolS supplemented by fur.
| thcr captures Yesterday, carries a relI
threat TO Cambrai and Douai. while the
fall OF Bapaumc, ChaulneS and RoyC
are merely consequences OF an earllcr
! defeat which will he l]iquidatcd when
the Hindcnburg line is reached. In a
word. they are all ready discounted
while the new push has at present d
tulurc meaning.
Allenby took Monchy-l e- Prcuv in
April, 1917. but he could not shake IN,
Germans out OF their hole on the park
at the east side OF the town and as a
| consequence it has far less value &c
him than il would otherwise have had
as m observation point. His offensive
after the early April days, pushed only
o. help NvclIc'S larger operation on
the Aisnc. was stopped exactly where
the British are now making progress
From Lens right down TO the Sense,
river at Chcrisy. the British are now
at or behind the line of 1917 and where
they are beyond they are on higl
ground of great value.
Barrier Is Seen.
Now it is plain that further advances
will bring Byng's army squarcly up Il
the last circumstance OF that Wotan lint
so much talked OF in 1917, the Dro
court ueant switch, running down tn,
never broken section Of the German
line behind Lens, to the main linden
burg line east of Croisilles. This j
the ultimate barrier TO the British ad
vance to Douai and Cambria and fit
keys Of all the region now ~ocCupicC
by the Germans in northern France
II the British can reach either, ther
the Germans must make a tremendous
J retirement both north and south. They