The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1917-11-08
French DRIVE
ENEMY ACROSS
The A|lETTE
Germans, Pursued by Petain's
Army, Retreat to North
Bank Of River.
TEUT0NS LOSE 422 CANNON
Foe RetIres Cutting All erIdoes-Ar-
tiIIery Fighting Continues Very
Vigorously In the Sector Of
chavignon and Certain
Other Points.

Other Pointe.
Berlin, Nov. 5.-The capture Of
American soldiers by German recon-
noitering party Is announced. The
statement says that the American SOL
diers were brought In as the result
Of reconnOitering thrust on the
Rhine Marne canal.
Paris, Nov. 5.-The French are ad-
vancing between the Disc canal and
the region of Corbeny and have reach
ed the south bank of the Ailette river,
the war office announces The Ger
mans have retreated to the north bank
Of the river. The bridges across the
Ailette were destroyed by the Ger
mans. Since October % the French
have captured 422 guns and 72O ma
chine guns. The announcement Is as
follows:
''In the course of the night our
troops continued to make progress be
tween the Oise canal and the region Of
Corbeny and reached the south bank
Of the Ailette river over this entire
front.
Foe Retires, Cutting erIdses
''The enemy has retired to the north
bank Of the river. whose bridges and
foot bridges were cut.
ARTILLERY fighting continues very
vigorously in the sector Of Chavignon
and at certain points In the region Of
the plateaus.
''In the way Of material captured
since October q we have actually
counted 200 heavy and field guns, 222
trench cannon and TO machine guns.
"On the right bank Of the Meuse
(Verdun 'front.' there were violent ar
tillery engagements In the region Of
Chaume wood. An enemy attack north
Of st. Mihiel was without result. The
night was calm everywhere else.
'In the period between October 21
and 81 % German airplanes were
brought down. or these q were de-
stroyed by our pilots after combat and
two by our special cannon. Further
more. IS enemy machines were dam
aged seriously and descended within
the German lines"
German Retreat PeriIs Iaon.
Another German retirement is under
way In France. For the second time
within eight months the pressure of
the allies has caused a withdrawal of
the line on the western front. The
Germans have retreated from the hilly
front of the Chemin des Danes, north
east of Scissors and south of Laon
This Is admitted I'm statement from
Berlin, which, however, fails to define
the limits of the retirement accurately.
The French official statement of FRI
day night has not yet reached this
country and the other side of the Ber-
lin report is not known.
The German statement says the
troops Of the German crown prince
systematically withdrew their lines
"unnoticed and undisturbed by the en-
emy."
Probably the Germans have only re-
tired across the Ailette river from Cha
vignon to Craonne, a distance of about
thirteen miles, or they may have start
ed on retreat parallellng that of
last March on the Somme when they
finally fell back before Anglo French
pressure from Arras to Scissors.
Result OF Petain's Drive.
Even II they have only withdrawn
across the Ailette. II is probably be-
cause Of General Petain's successful
drive Of last week when he reached
the Disc Aisne canal eight miles south
west Of LaOn and captured more than
1900 prisoners. From the positions
gained then the French could and did
lombard the Germans clinging to the
hilly strip between the Chemin des
Danes and the Ailette.
The hills on the northern bank of
the Ailette generally are not so high !
as those on the south and the crown
prince may have gone back to the line
of the River Ardon. which runs south
west from Laon and joins the Ailette |
north Of Chavignon. II Is probable |
that the Germans have retired across
the Ailette, as not to do so might place
them in worse position than on top
of the ridge.
The retirement might include Laon.
the reputed southern citadel Of the |
Hindenburg line Of last March, but II
the front of the Allette is given up a
line from 81. Quentin through La Fere.
Laon and MOntaige to Neufchatel-sur-
Aisne. along the railroad between La
Fere and Neufchatel might offer a good
halting place.