The courier-index. (Marianna, Ark.) 1917-current, 1917-11-02
IMPORTANT EVENTS
NEAR, SAYS BAKER
WAVE OF ACTIVITY ON All WAR
FRONTS is CITED As lNDicA-
TIoN-ITALY is FACING GREAT
cRIsfs-cERnANs RETREAT

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great war. Secretary Baker indicates
in his official review OF last weeks
operations on al fronts. which con
Guides with the brief statement that
certain units II American forces in
France have taken their place on the
battle front 10 complete their train.
ing.
Ii is the wave OF activity during
the week on nearly every front that
caught the secresary's attention Sig
nifIcant operations are in progress,
he says. both east and west. on the
Italian fronts. in Macedonia. Ru
mania. Nesopotamis. and even in
East Africa On the western front.
he said. a new strategic retreat of
the German forces appears 10 be
the next move expected. and they
must move hack under critical cir
cumstances from between the two
wedges. those in Flanders and the
Aisne. which have driven relentlessly
into their line by the British and
French
Italy is passing through a difficult
moment, Mr.. Baker says The Aus
tro-Germau drive is being pressed
AOE G44 " imposing A1AN~N- A|1A
once before Italy stemmed the tide
OF an Austrian rush. under less IA
vorable conditions for the defenders.
he points out. and hurled the enemy
back with only a taste of victory
during the first day of his terrific on
siaught The winter is now coming
to the aid of the Italians.
The secretary's review follows:
p l. ~1nau-1l 1n-swT~faz ell
fronts
pear TO be impending
along the Western. Eastern and
Italian fronts. in Macedonia Ru-
East Africa, significant operations
are in progress.
The two outstanding features of
the situation of the week are the re-
lentless British offensive in the
Ypres salient. resulting in substantial
gains of terrain of important strate-
gic value. and the sudden well aimed
and sustained thrust OF the French
north of the Aisne-
1T is evident that the allied drives
along the western front are broaden
ing in scope and intensity. The whole
through the Passehendaele ridge.
southwark TO Lens and on TO the
Aisne. is becoming the scene of in
creasing heavy allied pressure. which
! the enemy is withstanding with diff
ficuIty.
side by side the British and the
/ French are pushing on through the
Flemish lowlands toward Roulers
The enemy. believing he might
find rift in the otherwise .impreg-
nable allied line at the point of the
/ junction of the Franco-B British forces.
/ directed repeated heavy counter at
T tacks in this segment. These were
repulsed.
While the British attacks during
the past week have been carried out
with imposing effectiveness. II is ap-
parent that the British command in
maneuyering in order TO gain i'm
portant tactical advantages at a
minimum cost
THE casualties to the enemy are
rising steadily.
Slowly the allies are enlarging
their gains in Flanders. driving into
the heart OF German resistance in the
west
The German armies fight on
stubbornly II any further evidence
OF allied superiority is needed, it
seems TO be supplied by the decisive
successes won by the French during
the week
This offensive was launched on
six mile front near the west end of
the Chemin des Danes at dawn on
October %
General Petain so well masked
his preparations that the enemy was
taken by surprise as TO the exact
terrain chosen for the attack, and
was overwhelmed before Icing able
to organize a concentrated resist
ance
The German lines were penetrat-
T ed TO a depth of well over two
miles at one point
This first attack was iIamedia ely
+ followed by a second assault in this
4 same sector. crosnsi with .ull sue
I cess
In three days I,shting the French
have taken 10000 prisoners 100 suns
( of large calibeT, and a great guam
tity OF other booty not yet cnumeTet-
ed
The possession Of the captured
fort OF A9almaison. the kay 10 the
entire ridge and the yillsges beyond
now makes il possible for the French
TO enfilade the German positions
along the Chemin des Danes as
we'll as TO fire directly through the
valley TO the fortress of Laon.
General Petain showed himself to
be past master of strategy in be-
ing able to attain so recisive a vic.
tory in so brief a period
The time has apparently come
for another strategic retreat of the
enemy. Ii meana that the Germans
must again retire to a new entrench.
ed and carefully prepared line if thew
! intend TO resist further in the west
1T must be admitted that the
German retreat executed as a result
! of the battle of the Somme last year
. was carried through with consumate
skill The enemy retired. destroying
all cover, and taking up positions OF
marked Tactical