The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1917-03-22
ADVANCE OF FRENCH TROOPS

I'm mense Tract of Territory Recon.
guered = Inhabitants Overioyed
Ihey Declare Americans Have
hept Us Alive, Otherwise We
would Have Died of Hunger
lFrom a staff correspondent Of
sne Associated Press at the French
front in France.)
M sunday, March 18-(via Paris,
March 19)-The French troops MD
one OF the most significant advances:
SINCE the beginning Of the war YES !
I1eroay ard today. Along a sixty :
kllometre front some hundreds of ,
square kilometres re-fell into The
nanus OF the French, while the Ger
mans retreating movement gave no
eV 1ul Of coming to a halt.
1nls immense tract Of re-conuuer-
eo territory was tnaversed TODAY bv
2 correspondent for The Associated
fress, who found the inhabitants in
many places, where they were al
lowed to remain by the Germans.
tesafIully joyous at the Temperance
ol their fellow-countrymen coming
IN as victors.
Among the first words from the
women ard children, who had been
Tor 81 months in the hands Of the
Germans, were expressions of graft
! tude to America.
Americans have kept US alive:
otherwise We would have died Of
hunger"
Express Themselves Freely
This was absolutely spontaneon.
the stricken people not beinp .war:
that an American CORRESPONDENCE -.
present. vas
These people are the first in north
eastern France to have an opportun-
lty to give free expressions Of their
feelings and their appreciation If
j the American effort in their behalf
IS an example of the general senti-
ment in the districts.
Evidences of a German hasty de.
5 parture are visible everywhere, es-
) peclally in the villages and towns in
the shape of houses blown to frag-
rants by the explosion of incendiary
4 bombs. In the distance burning vii.
5 lagos showed that the retreat was
!, still progressing. Here and there
5 were few corpses of German sol
: diers, who evidently had been kill
n ed while acting as rear guards
= Former German positions are JUS
= heaps Of scattered wire ENHANCEMENT.
t and the trenches are half filled will
4 water
O Supply columns are proceeding il
= every direction following the Frencl
e pursuing troops who keep close Of
: the heels of the retreating Germans
d not allowing them a moments re
: spite.
Every House Damaged -.
The Associated Press correspond
e ent entered the area re-conquered a
It Lassigny which suffered badly, nc
l. a house escaping damage. The 10
t. of the inhabitants at the almost in
r credible sight of French soldiers er
$ tering town within an hour afte
the Germans departed on Saturda
$ afternoon was extraordinary, ever
" passing Frenchman or ally being en-
RI braced. The correspondent spol
s. with many women who declared thu
% they owed their own lives as we
20 as those of their children to Anne
St lean relief in the occupied. territor
= At MalMaison farm the German
ne evidently opposed with some consi
IN cradle resistance the French advanc
the GROUND about being pierced wi
70 shell holes like a sieve. Furth'
IS along in the villages Of Candor al
IL Lagny many women and childr'
nd still remained, the rapid retireme1
or not permitting the Germans to ca
us ry them off with the mayor, the a
,e- sistant mayor and other officials. TIL
asserted that everything they gre
I;c in their gan1nes was requistioned
.ce the Germans and the sole means
,le sustaining life was the food distri
IL uted by the Americans. Every mon
le- the mayors or other village functio
H. aries were called together where t
cd American representative gave 9
A. supplies and life was sustained 81
nm ply by this means.
10 Children Carried Away
no At Candor nearly 200 women a
1T children were left in German har
f. to at the beginning of the war: I
" young men and girls were all nj