The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-10-10
sing Exposes Another Bernstor Plot Control Congress
FRENCH ADVANCE
AS HA|G'S TROOPS
YIELD SLIGHTLY
CONTINUES from FIRST Page.

CONTINUED from First sPsge)
bASes-curtailment OF the submarine
campaign. Every yard they are com
PEELED to yield in Flanders makes re-
linquishment OF these bases that
much nearer. Moreover. the British
victory took from the enemy the
! dominating heights and observGtoriss
controlling all the Flanders plains.
The French contribution was restora-
ton to the allies OF land heretofors
securely held by the Germans behind
the inundated section flooded by Bel
GUM in 1914
Fleeing before the invaders at the
start Of the war. Belgium invoked
natures waters to flood the plains
and stop the enemy. But they also
have since constituted the greatest
obstacle to liberation OF Flanders.
Tuesday mornings attack had long
been planned The French, however,
had not been prepared TO fight ma
ture a. they were forced to fight.
At the moment OF the attack. Il
seemed as though nature herself had
Joined against the French. TorrentiaI
rains sent down q deluge-of water
which linked the whole semi-tnunda-
ted wilderness OF shell holes, streams,
valleys, canals. marshes, and rivers
into a veritable sea. Whether the
French soldiers awaiting advance or
the Germans awaiting the attack suf-
fered the more from the torrents.
having no shelter either above or
below the ground. II impossible to
imagine.
wiped Out InequalIfy.
u was certain. however. that ths
French artillerys superiority wiped
out any inequality which nature cor
descended to give the Germans
saw this battle OF the elements-frs.
earth. water, and air-Aonday night.
just before "Eero"-the moment for
dense artillery concentration Of the
war caused the entire Flanders plains
as far as the eye could reach 20 vomit
up endlessly And unintarruptOdIy q
sheet of fre and sparks and hamoA
Giant explosions OF shells seemingly
mingled with natures own rumblss
OF the storm. The driving, binding
rain increased every moment. a. q
uselessly seeking 70 extinguish the
fury OF the artillery.
For every increase IN the whipping
rain It seemed the French ARTILLERY
likewise increased Toward morninr
nature gave MP the struggle Then
the artillery reached q triumphant
creseendo, as It spat forth q rolling
barrags. Behind this the French In
fantry leaped from Its half mum
dated positions TO the marSh-eovsrsd
plains before it-leaped from island
to island to the attack. The assault
came before the crash. The attack
came while Q division was being
changed The defenders, q fresh a.
vision rushed from the Russian front,
was caught and decimRfed <before the
tremendous barrage fire. The French
attained their detectives with mini
mum losses. The victory was won.
Third Great Drive.
Tuesdays great drive Is the third
one since August 1. Since the begin
ming Of the allied Flanders offensive.
while the British were regaining the
last observatories dominating and
the Flanders plains to the
coast, the French have been steadily
driving back the Germans from the
protection OF the great water barrier.
In each OF the three great attacks
the Poilus have wrested fresh por-
tions OF this beck to allied hands
AN ATLANTIC PORT, Oct, Io.-An
encounter between four allied vessels,
two American and two italian, and
three German. submarines, In which
one of the U-boGts was sunk. occurred
on September H.. in the Mediterran-
can. according to the master of An
steamer that has reached