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Show DESPERATE METHODS USED BY GERMANS TO SAVE THEIR ARMIES Military Expert Describes Method of Retreat; Believes Be-lieves Peace Cannot Come Before Next Summer. Rv NEW YORK TTMES 7MTT.TT A T?Y (New York Tinies-rhicago Tribune Cable, Copyright, 1LU8.) Special to The Tribune. NEW YORK, Oct. 12. The threat against Laon was entirely unlocked un-locked for. It will be remembered that when Berry-au-Eac fell several sev-eral days ago It was pointed out that the movement from this quarter would threaten J.aon from the east if the crossing (if the Aisne could be extended. ex-tended. Berry-au-Bac gave the French a pood foothold on the northern bank of the Aisne at a vital point. The French pian was to clear the Aisne from the west by reclaiming the Chemin-des-Dames through an Httack from the west. The first intimation that we had of this plan was a French nttack which forced the Germans back of the Oise-Aisne canal, which connects the Ailette and the Aisne. That the Germans permitted this gain was in itself a confession of weakness. weak-ness. This situation forced the Germans to take desperate chances. Kven though they may be driven into a military situation sit-uation which is almost impossible, they are compelled to hold on and trust that they will be able to escape in time before the debacle comes. The principal actions of the week have occurred on the front between St. Quen-un Quen-un and Cambrat. Cambral could not be flanked from the north. It Is admirably guarded by the Sensee canal, which acts as a barrier to an advance from that direction. di-rection. This is the principal reason why the allied attacks have centered between Cambrat and Laon. This would seem to negative the idea that Foch is primarily concerned with the destruction of the army and not with forcing a strategic retreat. re-treat. The early r-rt of the wrek whs devoted to minor orerat fons on tins fr-'iit. There was some very hard fighting by the Brit- , t i". : I Then the flame burst out. In a terrific attack, participated In by the British, the1 1 French and the Americans, the Gerrmtn ! lines wer struck on the entire front b-' b-' tween Cambrat and St. Cju.-ir.m. The emir line Rave way. Previous lnro;uls by the British had brought their lni.s close to the end of the Hindenhiirg defense de-fense zone. The la-t attack carried them clean through the defensive area ;mJ out Into the oprn. Thi? v. us more than the Germans had tnrvamed fr. It was neees.j',ry to stage a retreat as q j i e k 1 as po s -. b '. e . This w a r d r. n . the aiiies, using cavitary and small tanks on a large scale. f- liowirtc cl 's- iy. One 1m aT'er the olheY w;is ci d. L Cateau a s taken and the p n ' i s have p u h d on 8 beyond the S-'ii ner. In thi s. - u t h the G-r:ivtns were ao st-rlt-u iy affected. The French. rpt-nintf on the. right fiank of th attack:iig force, s-.v.-nt e ist rf St. Ouentin and re.i. he- the line of the t.M.-e pract n-ally all the w a y from La Fere to the reat bend mar Long-ch:unps. Long-ch:unps. This I n -, n d 1 a e 1 v drew the line In the n-rth t-.g.tiy ab oit I..-n, i n area of tp.e ci'y iciarde.! only by th ':-; nwr. The r?nii ti the r; t i h w as n -rre-.h the I'ri-;:i hr. a!! a:." t.e .-out horn bar.k of the -r -.e r,i-,.ii. the e 'vT'i f o:rU of their l'n-- be'.r. ; ;urt v-f : e n.is p.i.-.t the nT we--,-rn rart nr..r Ann-. In o'her w -id, the ( i.-rman lino Is outflanked by li.at dl-tar.. dl-tar.. e. 'on-dder the western font In two tioi,-i. (r.e is a h'u:e ,eu1;.'ire, r.'i;h.v, t tie hrn--t of v. h ! h are at S - le ruci on h- S'-!le river m the r.uth nr.d at N!eu-r N!eu-r -rt in the iwrih. The ra.ilun of ih 1 i-irv.' ts u bout I hlrt '- f . v mile and U -..i:t tirs, tt tl; '.in. e .iryit.K frm thirty t i :v.ci:v :r.i.t--, Co in.pv riant b.ue.i of I.i 'e and' I '..u,it. The nor: h'Tn t nrt of t hN curved nr.i i guarded bv tb I.vh ri.-r. T !; h'.'" -'--.. the ii'.r:h - rn b ink tirelv and the G.-nr.nns the -.M'hrvu tank. .No att.-mpt hi.- I n n:.td- f r cr-...ln. thii part ..f ho fr-fit h.-viiiC Ifn r",a'.i.'iv qui--. Mni-e the It.-.i.-i.m attack of ten dvs hko. which first completed the northern rart of t he circle. The southern half of the circle is formed by the line from a point east of Arras to Solesmes. This section is guarded guard-ed by the Cojeul river and the Sensee canal, the Germans holding the northern bank, the allies the southern. Here the British have made several attempts to force a crossing: On one occasion they really got across and took the town of Arleaux. but a heavy coiinter-aMack drove them back across the canal. Thus the Cernmns would appear to have their flanks in the north carefully g-uarded. The southern semicircle, which is the second part of the line we need to consider, con-sider, begins at Tongchamps on the Oise, follows the river around as far as Le Fere and then curving around to the east follows the Ailette and later the i AL-me. Here we have p condition similar In I many respects to the northern curve. The I northern flank of the Germans Is guarded by the Oise river, which is a most effective ef-fective barrier. It lias not. as far as we know, been under at tack, the French having just reached it as this is being written. The southern flank Is puarded by the Ailette and the north by the Aisne, the semicircle beinR- complete at Berrv-au-Bac. The Ailette front Is just as securely se-curely Ruarded, as is the Oi.se front in the north. The Ailette itself is not much of a barrier, but the steep hills which rise from the valley of the river, make it an obstacle of great defensive value. Danger Point, The dnnq-er point Is found between the pint wher the Ailette turns north and Berry-au-Kac. and this is the only un-ri un-ri larded ect ion of the entire German line. If the French can puh their lines hut a litt le f urt her east ward a nd clear the line of the Aisne as far as Berry-au-Bac. there Is every likelihood of their belt; be-lt; g able to cut off I-aon from the east by an advance northward from Berry-au-Bac It Ih the only exposed point rtouth of the North sea. With all the flanks of the two circular parti of their lire it is possible that the G'-rmann may yet disappoint the allies and Ket away. but. however, minus a ! lai ce part of their miliiarv paraphernalia. I Their method of retreat has always b"en the same, Jt consists In hoMlnic tightly o n the flanks and Rra dually d m w l r ft away the enter. the sides jrradually ' leliiinr as the center puns bark. 1 F.t this operation the Grnjns, as we ha e seen, are a dm Ir.ibjy I .c.i -d. They cannot., of course. away clean. But they ,-;tn ecare di-a?ter unlets Ffh is a t le to cni3h in the sides of their ri-fenn ri-fenn e before the er.t-r can far enon h eaM ward. There ctn be no doubt nf a German retreir. It j the In-f- liable. Grrmany may be iib t delay de-lay it for a ( day l.ii.trr at Rre.-u rl.k to herm-'f. but ll t rr'ain to come. W'I'h tiie G.-rmann n tc (tround on all nMes it 1- thoayh In many quarter that t h war ! " r : : d t : ; .a t we .-had h a e p.-i.e before tin- r,-v . . r. 1 hat will depend de-pend "ii Jut hat Uti.d of a i'r.ii.e w e me t ii . We can have pre tomorrow if we wi-h. a G til an pe.i,-.-; pe rr.a.ie a r r. ti n d t h t ; : r. c i 1 t a t '. e on n 1ih- of cw r..m:-e. But if e t!:1 hold that th-re can t e :io c mi.rornie if ',cn rik'ht ar. l wr- tur, thai y.oi can; -t arbitrate arbi-trate n - urder a :-.d p! r icy ind p!!!ai.e : if. in ch'Tt, we hr'- hat the oniy peacfl w e u ;'.i n. ; t w !!1 tie n Jrm.in mjt render, there ir no p -t i II i ' y of r-'nc till: ear, certainly net be..re tmmer of n- ' r. '. l.fi ;-rn anv w!!l d", wh.it he 1 d-!rit. d-!rit. i H f il.li.k' t i' k to nh.i.rt'Vi h-r tin.. M.i cm tae i:p a i : n e I ck of the Mue r:ver orr a bur.drd r.u,- h rter than her pr.--.en I.r.'-s ar.d there'.'V n-'d fr. m t f.r--e. f. a; r1 h of a nc.!! piTl to her f.-h;:n h'irr',.-t!i. Hr p-.--;tcn w!l le .td:r.lr; ' Iv "i.it' d f r dt:ire M' l will in-V"i in-V"i a nr.'.tt d--'il ft f : h ' r k l"f re it can be i.u.'ii. Hut It 1- s-i:i F.Mne dH-tan. dH-tan. e nh.vl. It is u--t (a d,, -:e vir-k.'lv.f) vir-k.'lv.f) on fa-'Tn which are apparent. |