The Detroit times., 1917-10-10

miles OF frestlea ana countless
bridRes. n was over this mo Mans
water" thar the French swept on 10
victory.
To-day the desperation OF the Ger
man connteraPiacks told o. the on
cmy's realization OF what the French
and British victories mean. The
Teutonlc command threw fresh 81
visions into the F1anders maeistrom
with unparalleled pr0digality. That
Germany should sacrifice so many
thousands Of her troops. when ben
hlgh command Us now faced. "a ifh q
steadily waning man power. Is proof
OF The immense Importance IN which
the enemy holds The FrancoBritifh
success
The Germans know they cannot
retreat without abandoning The
FLANDERS coast That means aban
donment Of The great submarine
bases OF the submarine
campaign Every yard they are
compelled 20 Weld IN Flanders
makes REIMBURSEMENT of these bases
that much nearer Moreover me
British victory took from The enemy
the dominating heights and obser'a-
tories controlling an the Fandess
plains The French contribution I
was restoration 10 the Allies of land 4
heretofore securely held oy me Ter
mans behind the inundated secuon I
Hooded by Belgium In 1914
Fleeing before lhe invtdf- 10 '-
start OF the var Belgium invoked 4
natures waters 20 food The plains
and stop the enemy Bur they also
have since constituted the creates
obstacle 20 liberation az FLANDERS
Tuesday mornings attack Dad been
long planned The Frencl toH
ever. had n optrepare3 20 fght n
ture rs they were forced tc n
A. The moment OF the afark
seemed a. tho nature h,
Joined against The French Io
fiAi rains sent down 1ell-
water which linked me ro'r -e
Inundated wilderness of sh@l nr
- vell.srs. canals uart
and rivers into = ycrtsh.s e
Whether The French soldiers
ing all night for fhe advance ei i'f
Germans awaiting the attack M
----r--->--'s-----------
having no shelter either above of
below the ground .t Is Impossible q
TO- say
III was certain. however, hat the d
French artillery superiority wiped G
out any inequality which nature
condescended 20 give the Germans p
/ saw this battle OF the elements j.
fire, earth. water and air. Monday 5
night, Just before zero"-the mo- s
ment for the attack A. lone spof
the most dense artillery coucentra- 81
tion OF the war caused the entire Z
Flanders plains as FAR as The eye p
could reach 20 vomii up enClessiy
and uninterruntedlv sheer ~ IL. :
and sparks and flames Giant ex n
plosions OF shells seemingly mingled p
With natures own uimbles ~ the a.
storm. The driving. binding rain "
every moment as 10 Use
essly seeking 10 extiuguish the n,
'ury OF the artillerq. For every in n
'rease In the whipping rain. b. 81
eemed the French artillery like b.
wise increased. Towards morning m
Iature gave up the struggle. Then d.
tfr artillery reached rr1UmpHTUT N
rescendo. as II spat forth 4 rolling In
arrage Behind this the French in ar
antry leaped from its half iuundat M
d positions 10 the marsh covered So
lains before it--leaped from island
o island to the attack. r..
The assault came before the Ger r.
mans expected g. The enemy was n
aught while a first fine division
vas being changed The new de- n
enders. a fresh division rushed
rom the Russian front. were caught 5.
ind decimated by the tremendous ]
,arrage FIRE p