The Detroit times., 1917-11-22

" Cambria as this dispatch is writ
Isn.
Z Every hour makes the British vic
MY more gigantic IN its scope
more astounding IN It's conception
md execution.
The Hindenburg line has beer
Emashed 10 flinders.
In some sections OF the battle
'front.', tho nghting r. practically N
Tho open. British cavalry have been
In action. The vast and intricate
trench defenses OF the Hindenburs
hne and It's subsidiary lines have IN
many places been stormod and The
snemy forced into defense from the
open.
Literally delirious with Joy, 900
civilians repalriated 10 France by
The British stroke came back from
the front today. They had been
hurriedly removed from Masnieres
10 Gouzeaucourt BY the Germans and
then abandoned AZ GOuzeaucouri
they welcomed the sweating Tom
mics as they streamed IN The town.
with their stories and me tales
wruDg from German prisoners Sun
saxed with surprise OF the British
blow. n was possible today 10 piece
logetber some idea OF The condition,
m the luxurious and-supp
.npregnable German positions OF me
Hindenburg line when Gen, byhb
loosed his surprise party
Not a German had any knowlccee
AZ the attack until the tanks loomed
over their heads. Then they llter
Ally blew up" in panic. French q
VILLAINS Ia towns just behind tht
lines described the officers and men
AZ running around "like chickens
with their heads cut on The whole
army ouivered and shook with the
audiences Of the thing the great
ehost-like steel monsters that bai'
tered thru cement and earth and hui
man walls were fearsome GIANTS
the swearing, yelling hends who FOL
lowed them were gnomes who sud
denly sprang 10 lie out OF the
ground.
II must have been hours before
this palsy OF surprise, Of fear aud OF
what almost amounted 10 supersu-
tious panic that something super
natural had occurred. passed away
among the Germans.
British 'moppersup" told OF how
men from whose heads the lethargy
OF sleep had hardly passed. blinking
ly. dazedly, crowded out OF their
dugouts, or how. uncomprehending
that II was reality and not dreams
they duly let great 'apks crush
them fat, or furiously cleaning
British bayonets find their mark. In
trenches and dugouts blankets and
cots were found some sleepers
bodies and breakfast tables for ON
GERS, daintiiy set. still smoked appe-
tizlngly. A tangle OF personal BE-
longings In line after line % dugouts /
showed sleepers Ia the hunks and
on the cots had leaped 70 their feet 1
IN the first terror OF the momen I
and fed 20 the ghostly dawn above, /
without bIouses. without guns, al
most without their senses
Vast stores OF choice wines were
'ound IN the officers quarters. Cigars
md cigarettes were packed there
,rofusely.
Many sections OF the boosted Hin
,snburg line came into British hands
intact. The tanks had
smashed great gaps. Thru these The
infantry poured and spread out Fan
wise. behind. taking yard after yard
,f the ''impregnabie positions" from
The rear.
The correspondents were sum
moned 20 the line during the night
We stood that memorable morning 4
IN the eery light Just before dawn.
tn the midst OF great droyes Of tanks
ALI camounaged and bedizened--a |
multitude Of the things.
They were a great herd OF gentle /
looking etolid creatures. that see med I
20 browse on the grass covered bat. 1
slefield. sheltered somewhat by trees /
whose branches showed no nippiue
by shells. The scene was Ike some
abandoned farm IN the Kentucky
blue grass region. One could mag
inc the tanks either as bovine herds
or az cluttered up dingy-looking neg
lected farm machinery scattered
about
II was still. Only few desultory
shells exploded In the distance-the
regular, monotonous. every morning
interchange. We could not see the
Infinite preparations on all the 81
gantic front Column after column,
mass after mass OF men and ma
chimes and horses and paraphernalia
had slid thru the oily night shadows
and were lined up az that moment
for the greatest OF the war dramas
then about 20 start.
OF sudden the moment came II
was the kickoff" Nothing but the
tense moment when the ball Is put
into play so aptly expressed thar
moment.
A little whle--and he'll broke
loose.
II seems almost preposterous that
the Germans IN a great many places