The Washington herald., 1918-07-29
Becoming a Rout.

The news that came from Paris last night is
the most stirring of the entire fighting season of
Iors-and il is fitting that it should have come on
the fourth anniversary of the beginning of the war.
Fere-en-Tardenois-that bastion of the west
defensive system in the WEDGES now in
Franco-American hands.
There is no longer a single enemy pnit on the
north bank of the Marne The Franco-American
capture of Jaulgonne caused the remaining German
divisions this fated stream, near Chatllon, to
be seized with panic, and they retreating pre-
cipitately, with our men in vigorous pursuit
The British and Italians approaching Bligny
on the east, which means that the has been
drawn measursbly tighter. The enemy after twenty
four hours of counter attacking which
proved futile, and mad effort to defend the sali-
ent, or what remained of it, Is again trekking
northward in such hasty fashion that it would take
but little more pressure to turn it into rout.
The allied infantry forcing the entire wedge
to the cracking point rapidly, and the artillery
which has held the key to the battle position for
at least forty-eight hours-is raking the enemy
lines and communications with such terrible fire
that the German high command now sees that its
only salvation is full and absolute retreat to the
Vesle, regardless of the guns and booty left be-
mind, regardless OF the political and demoraZing
effect at home.
Foch has played his game magnihcently. His
armies are now so preponderant that he could try
to crush the enemy by sheer pressure. By skilIful
manipulation of his divisions, however, he pinced
the enemy at his weakest points, forced the clos
ing in of the angles of the salient to the point
where the whole territory could be en6laded by
artillery, and squeezed the mass which Won Boehm
had crowded into the wedge tgher and tighter un-
l.
making it impossible for him to strike back effec-
lively.
In the meantime the steady bombing of the
railroads and the lines of communication has
brought it's inevitable result The German high
command, however reluctant it may have been to
turn the whole operation into wholesale retreat
one which the most stod Boche could see
to be defeat of the first magnitude has been
forced to relinqush the ground which it won at
such price in human flesh. AS the armies retreat
the pursuing Franco-Americans and British are on
their necks. The bagful of prisoners is certain to
be big. 1t is probable that the great bulk of the
enemy armies will slip out of the noose but even
If five to ten per cent of the invading hordes are
caught, the operation will stand out as by far
the biggest allied victory of the entire war-and it
would not be surprising if history should record
the second battle of the Marne as on an equal
footing with the first.
"If we had had but strong American army
available" says G. H. Perris, this would have
been for Germany a first class disaster, for within
the salient only thirty by twenty miles in extent
Won Boehm had crowded thirty-hve divisions of
troops, with their artillery, muniton services and
supplies, region, moreover, having only one free
railway line and four small and two large roads,
OF which one under fire.
This disaster has been avoided, but the defeat
is one whose moral effect may be as serious as its
immediate material consequences So far, seventy
German divisions have been identified in the course
of this battle The German losses are variously
estimated as from 10000 to 100000 men, $4,000
prisoners, with 400 cannon, several thousand ma
chine guns and much miscellaneous supplies 1t is
discovered that large part of the class of 1913
has been engaged in the battle. The class of 1920
will be sent into the field in September instead of
later. The retreat continues and the German peo-
pie distracted. The contrasting picture of the
allied camp need not draw. We may indeed, be
confident"
This was written before the new French and
American successes of yesterday transpired Judge,
then, of how vital is the that is presented to
the American people this morning.