The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-11-21
BIG HOLE BLASTED THROUGH TEUT0N ARMY
ERNAN LINE IS BADLY PARALYZED
BY STAGGERING SMASH Of BRITISH

blow, aimed suddenly yesterday on
the Arras-St. Quentin line, had gain
ed this great Victory "over the whole
front"
British assaultIng waves passed
through the German lines to depth
Of between four and five miIes, over
very wide front.
Thousands of prisoners and great
number OF guns were taken.
Although Halg did not specify
exactly the location Of the great
blow which hts forces so successfully
struck, the German official statement
Of last night would seem TO Indicate
Il had cambrai, one Of the key cities
In the HIndenburg line Of comnuni-
cations, as Its main objective.
If this Is the case, British troops
must now be within sight Of this
Vital center, since before the drive
the old lines were only eight miles
distant from there.
There was every evidence today
that the enemy was utterly paralyzed
by the tremendous force Of the Brit
ish blow, no less than Its surprise.
There has been no fighting Of any
nnaanltude on the Arras-St. Quentin
sector since early In the summer
In many circles here today, the
victory was hailed as perhaps tho
most Important military stroke
achieved by the allies since the
battle Of the Marne.
Actual penetration Of the Hlnden-
burg limo, which Germany has boast
ed was completely Impregnable and
which here militarlsts have led the
people to believe would forever bar
the allied progress, may be expected
TO have powerful effect on German
| morale h The field and nj home.
Field Marshal Haig has not com
pietsly and definitely located the
driving front, but the German official
report named It as centering ovsr
the Bapaun1e-c c ambraI highway.
The HIndenburg line starts at Dro-
court Just northwestern Douai and
runs In a fairly straight line down
through VItry-En-ArtoIs, V1IIlers, Gag
nIcourt, to Queant and PronvilIe,
thence on the Boursies, Havrlneourt,
Gouzeauoourt, Epehy and st. Quen-
tin.
Tho first, or upper section Of this
Ilne-that from Drocourt to Queant
has been named the "Wotan line"
The lower section Is the "Siegfried
line" Both together form the gen.
eraI scheme of the Hindenburg front.
The total, length Is about forty miles.
After smashing the first line Of de-
fenses, the British captured the sec
ond, more than mile beyond.
Describing this action, Haig's report
stated:
I~fa Ana. a,@A al sa ~H@
ance with program, pressed forward
and captured the German second sys-
tenn, more than a mile beyond the
first"
"Around Lavacquerc the formidable
couthett wood were captured" the
"FIesuuires was entered and the
Grand Ravine crossed.
"Havrincourt was captured"
"After the capture Of Havrincourt,'
the official statement continued, "rap-
i'd progress was made at all points.
"-The Masnieres canal was crossed
and Marcoing, Neuf wood, captured.
"East Of the canal DuNord, the viii
lagos of Graincourt and Annex were
stormed. West Of the canal, the whole
line nOrtn 10 Ine OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
road was stormed.
"The enemy was completely sur
prised. Sir Julian 5yng commanded
the British third army.
"Bonaires hamlet and Lateau wood
were captured after stiff fighting.
"East Of Epehy, between Bullecourt
and Fontaine Les CroislIes, import
ant positions were captured. The to-
tai number of prisoners and guns and
Of material has not yet been estimat-
ed"
"Trench systems north Of Havrin-
court and north Of the west bank of
canal DuNord were captured" Hais's
report added.
Britain's victory came after pre-
iminary advance Tuesday morning. It
was then under black skies, that the
tanks numbered forward as the new
barrage for the infantry. "Wednesday
completed the triumph.
Field Marshal Haig departed from
the custom Of Withholding the names
of generals Immediately In charge OF
civinu General Sir Julian Eynu and
his third army the credit for the bril-
liant achievement.
Line Is Broken.
IBy Ed L. Keen, United Press Staff
Correspondent
LONDON, Nov. 21.-Field Marshal
Hatg has broken the Hindenburg
line.
At various points on a front over
at least score of miles, the British
commander in chief today reported
his troops had smashed their way
for a distance Of between four and
five miles through the first defenses
fConffnued on mage 21