Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-09-19
Attack in Macedonia Has
Won Best Part of Bulgar
Front
FOLLOWING UP SUCCESS
General Maurice Expects De.
velopments Also on Struma,
Held by British

former Director OF oncra''on OF 'he or''sn
Special Cable to Evening Public Ledger
Copyright, 1913, BY Nc,c York Times Co.
London. Sept. 10.
Our eyes have been so much f1xed upon
the western front and It has been so
long since any event Of interest has oc-
Cured in Macedonia. that few words
OF explanation are necessary, II this
latest offensive Is to be understood.
The main section Of the Allied front
lies between the River vardar and Lake
Prespa, twelve miles west Of Monastir,
Before 1t was broken by the Franco
Serbian offensive, which has lust
developed, the front ran almost due
westward from the Vardar to point
only some 1000 yards north Of Monastir.
and that town, which is probably the
only place on the Macedonian front not
already in their hands coveted by the
Bulgars. has long been exposed to an at
tack.
From the Vardar to Sokol mountain,
which the Serhians have just captured
feet in height runs westward for some
forty-five miles. and the Allied front
trenches are now established along the
southern slopes OF this range. Hitherto
the Bulgars have everywhere along this
front been in possession of the main
heights.
At Sokol mountain the range bends
southwark toward Ostrova lake. and this
portion of it has been in the hands OF
the Allies West Of Sokol the front line
ran down into the valley of the Cerna'
which river IT crossed twice before reach
ing the neighborhood of Monastir The
river Cerna rises well to the north OF
Monast!r, and after passing some SIX
miles to the east Of the town makes "A big
loop, and, turning northward. between
two parallel ranges OF hills, flows into
The Nardar, The whole of this main sec
ton of the front Is, then. mountainous
IN character, with the exception of the
valley of the Cerna. which about Mon
astir is wide and marshy.
The Franco Serbian attack, which has
just taken place. has been made at the
bend of the mountain range of which the
Allies have hitherto held only the por-
ton which runs southwark at right
angles to the front. The heights OF
Sokul, Drobopolje, and Vetrenisk have
hitherto been Il barrier to the Allied
progress down the Cerna Valley, ana
the Serbian. communique does not eS-
aggerate when it says that the most I'M
portant part of the front in the enemy
possession has been captured.
The Franco-Serbians have at once
proceeded to widen out their front OF
attack both east and west, and 1t Is
twenty miles from their flank. so that
they have gained elbow room. They
have now reached the Cerna, and have
the alternatives before them of ad-
vancing northwestward across the river
IN its northward course in the direction
of Phllep, which would turn the Bulgar
defensese in front of Monastir. and dis
engage the town, or of pressing down
the Cerna Valley in northerly direc-
tion, which would turn the main range
between the Cerna and the Nardar, or
which the Bulgars have so long been
established.
The country is difficult, very defensible
and roadless, and though the BulgaI
is said to be war-weary, it is quite pos.
sible that he will fight hard in defense
of that part of Macedonia which he con.
siders his by right. So 1t Is too Soor
10 begin looking for big results, particu.
larly as we do not yet know whether his
offensive is intended to be more thar
local.
All that can be said at present is that
certain very important territory positions
! have passed into the hands of the Allies
and that the Serbians are following w
their initial success.
The Greek movement on the Strums
j front has the air Of being preparation
for more important developments on the
Allied right. Indeed. Mr.. Balfour has
more than limited that this is So ant
has announced that British troops are
. to take part. The Struma front ha.
long been purely British preserve anc
. is probably one of the most unpleasant
Of all the unpleasant positions which tn,
British troops have had to hold in thi!
war.