The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-10-17
|DR|v|NG WEDGE
THROUGH Line
Typhoon of Fire From Allies
Will Sooner or Later Split
Teuton Line Wide
MA --~--'s.ats open. ---~'.'-'.>
WEEKLY WAR SUMMARY
Fighting In Flanders Has Passed the
Stage Of Continuous Murder and
There 10 Chance for
Strategy.
WEEKLY WAR SUMMARY
lBy Carl D. Groat United Press STAFF
Correspondent.

rBy Carl D. Groat United Press STAFF
Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Oct. 17.-With a
veritable typhoon of fire. the allies
are driving wedge into the Ger
man line in Flanders. Sooner or
later this wedge may split the Teu
ton line and permit of flanking
move, instead Of the unceasing
frontal attacks, which up to recent
date have mente only throwing men
into the maelstrom of slaughter
without real tactical advantage.
This significant fact developed to-
day in Secretary of War Bakers
weekly war summary.
The "typhoon fire" ragged on the
Germans Is causing him real con.
oern; In fact such deep worry that
he has been forced to amend his
tactical dispositions in an effort to
meet the shock of she'll rained upon
his lines" The front has been SO
extended with the French that the
Flanders fighting IL practically revo
lutionary. It is no longer to be con
sidered a salient, said the summary
but an ever extending wedge driven
into the German lines.
From military standpoint this is
one of the most significant points In
the war in that 1t marks the depar.
ture from out and out frontal attack
which tacticians said Is like continu'
GUS murder. With this wedge driven
through the whole west front, fight.
ing would take on changed charac.
ter, with a chance for strategy in
stead of shells and men as the pre-.
dominant and determinant factor
The French are highly praised for
their part along with the British.
The secretary's' statement says:
"The allied offensive in Flanders
continues methodically.
Assigned objectives attained with
increasing regularity indicate eff.
cient coordination Of artillery prepa-
ration and infantry attacks.
"The precision of the allied bar
rage is proved by the low casual
ties Of the assaulting columns.
'"The deadly effect of allied artil-
lery fire is confirmed to us by re-
ports reaching us regarding the con-
Germ of the German high command
at the new allied "typhoon fire.
which is compelling the enemy to
amend his tactical dispositions in an
effort to meet the shock Of shell
rained upon his lines.
"F'rench participation in the oper-
ations in Flanders is the outstand-
ing feature of events during the past
week.
1.-THE successes attained by the
French forces operating north Of the
British sector, more particularly In
the neighborhood of the Houth Hulst
wood, have given the allied advance
in Flanders the needed elbow room.
"The zone of operation In the
Ypres salient, formerly too narrow
for the proper disposition Of large
masses Of British troops has now
by the French cooperation and their
recent successful advance, so extend
ed the line that fighting in what was
the Ypres salient has changed in
character. 1t is no longer to be con-
sidered a salient, but an ever ex-
tending wedge progressively driven
into the German lines.
"The operations Of the French
during the past week are in fact
complimentary to the engagements
fS,ontfnued on mage 5l