The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-10-09
Believe Allies Soon Will Have
U-BOat Bases Cut OF.
Advance Thru Storm OF Rain
and Sleet Early Today.
Get THOUSANDS PRISONERS
At One Point Troops Advanced
More Than 1900 Yards.
At Places Were Heavily Re-
sisted by Machine Gun Fire.

British Front in France and Bel
gium, oct. 9.-(By the Associated
Press )-The British have pushed
back the Germans thru Poelchappelle
and are fighting in the eastern out
skirts of the city about large brew
cry.
Just north of Broodseinde, at Diasy-
wood, the Germans held out strongly
The British surrounded the wood and
no. fighting followed. At many places
the French and British have advanced
to a depth of 1900 yards or more.
The British troops on Gravenstafel
ridge advanced on to Passchendaele
ridge and rested 1000 yards southwest
of the town of Passchendaele. The
French crossed the Jansbeek and
Drownheek rivers.
The attackers pushed forward
considerable distaT ce down the slopes
of Broodseinde ridge to the lower
ground.
I.5oO Yards Advance.
In the direction OF Houtholst for
est at an early hour the troops were
reported fighting about Mangelar,
some 500 yards beyond their origi-
nal front lines. At $50 o'clock they
lad taken several thousand prisoners.
> he british m with strong resist
they reached early in the advance.
They We're forced back a little by
heavy machine gun fire. At the time
of the latest reports they had again
pushed forward.
Over the Top al so y. NJ.
London oct Field Marshal
Haig struck again early today in the
AT 5:2U this morning we again at
tackled on the vest front northeast
and east Of Npros N conjunction with
our allies on the eft Haig reported.
I'VE made satisfactory progress. The
weather is stormy"
1.-THE vast morass of mud over
Flanders. caused by the last two days
of drenching rain, did not stop the
British commanders plans for a con-
tinuation of his drive.
Northeast and east of Ypres, is in
the same general sector in which the
succ, ssful big push" of last week
Then t, : weather was ideally cool and
clear. Today it was sleety and rainy
with strong winds.
Haig Again Changes Tactics.
Today's blow comes more quickly
after a great offensive than any SINH
lar drive which the British have un-
dcrtaken in more than year. Haig
heretofore has been content to strike
a staggering blow, reach certain speci-
fled objects and then hold these until
every plan was perfected for a further
advance-possibly for weeks.
Haig delivered such a blow last
. Thursday. He advanced over a front
Of eight miles. TOday-five days later
he has again thrown his line for
ward.
From this change in tactics London
harbored growing belief that the
whole comprehensive British cam
paign plan-to cut off the German
submarine bases at Zeebrugge and Os-
tend-now seemed likely to be real
lied. possibly at an early date. In
addition. it is believed that the sud
den change in Haig's customary tao
failure of the newly adopted German
pill box system of defense.
Predict German Strategic Retreat "
On last Thursday the Germans were
expelled from high ground along the
ridge east of Ypres. giving the British
dominating positions of great strategic
Importance. The wedge in the Ger
mans line has been driven so deep
that with the high ground lost their
position has been made most unfaVor-
able and another strategic retreat
has been predicted.
Recent dispatches from the British
front however, told of heavy rains
and deep mud, conditions under which
ordinarily a renewal of the offensive
would not be expected The decision
of the British staff to return to the
attack so. quickly may indicate a pur-
nose 20 force a decision before the cold
weather sets in or before the Germans
have recovered from the last blow,
(Cuntinued % Page TwoI