Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-20
NO EVIDENCES OF HALT
IN RETREAT OF GERMANS
Inhabitants In Reconquered Terri.
tory Tearfully Joyous mt Sight of
Fcllow-COuntrymcn
HIGH PRAISE FOR AMERICANS
Pcople Give Absolutely Spontaneous
Expression Of Feelings OF Apprc-
citation for Efforts In Their Behalf,
Which Saved Them From Starving.


. latan Correspondent Of Associated Prcss.1
Mt THE FRENCH FRONT IN
FRANCE. March IS (via Paris. March
le).--Thc French troops made one Of
me most significant advances since the
beginning OF the war yesterday and
to-day. Along a sixty-kilometer front.
some hundreds OF square kilomctcrs
REFILL in the hands OF the French. while
the Germans rctrcating movement gave
no evidences of coming to halt. This
immense tract OF rcconqucrcd territory
was traverscd to-day by Il correspon-
= dent for the Associated Press. who
found tho Inhabitants in many places.
where they were allowed to remain by
the Germans. tearfully joyous at the
temperance OF their fellow country
men coming in rs victors
Among the first WORDS from the
women and children. who had been for
), fhirty-two months in the hands OF the
'ermans were expressions OF gratitude
to America
Americans have kept us alive: other
wise We would have died OF hunger"
This was absolutely spontaneous. the
an American correspondent was present
These people are the first In North
eastern France to have an opportunity
10 give free expression of their feelings
ana their appreciation of the American
effort In their behalf is an example OF
the general sentiment in the stricken
districts
SIGNS OF IIASTY DEPARTURE
EVERYWHERE VISIBLE
signs or hasty German departure
are Visible everywhere especially in
the villages and towns. in the shane
OF houses blown to fragments by the
explosion OF inccndiary bombs. In the
distance burning villages showed that
tho rctreat was still progressing Here
ana there were a few corpses OF Ger
man soldiers. wh" evidently had been
EiI!cd while acting rear guards
foTmer German positions are Just
heaps OF scattered wire entanElemcnts
and the trenches are half-rllcd with
water.
Supply columns arc proceeding In
every direction. following the French
pnTsuing troops. who keep close on tho
heels or the rctreatinR Germans not
allowing them moments respite. The
Associated Press correspondent. entered
the area rcconqucred at I.assiEny
which suffered badly not house
: escaping damage. The JOY of the in
inDi;ants at the almost Incredible sight
of French soldiers entering town
within an hour after the Germans de-
parted on Saturday afternoon was ex
traordnary. every passing Frcnchman
or ally being embraced. The CORE
spondcnt spoke with many women wbo
declared that they owed their own lives
as well as those Of their children. TO
American relief in the OCCUPIED terri
tory.
FOOD SENT BY AMERICANS
SUSTAINED THEIR LIVES
AZ Malniaison farm the Germans evil
IDENTIFY opposed with some considerable
resistance the French advance. the
ground about being pierced with shell
holes like n sieve. Further along In
the villages of Candor and Lagny
many women and children still re-
manned the rapid retirement not per
fhittinS the Germans TO carry them OFF
with the Mayor. the Assistant Mayor
and other officials. They asserted that
everything they grew in their gardens
was reQuisitioned BY the Germans and
the sole means OF sustaining life was
the food distributed by the Americans
Every month the Mayors other VIII
lage functionaries we're called together
where the American representative
gave out supplies. and life was sus-
tanned simply by this means
At CandOr nearly zoo women and
children were left In German hands at
the beginning of the war. The young
men and girls were all carried off to
Germany. their parents even nov being
ignorant of their whereabouts Those
remaining were compelled to do all
KINDS or work without payment, and
fnr rall
fused to work on Sunday they were
fined. Even hoys over thirteen years
Of age assert that they were driven
often under fire to dig bitches or
small trenches for military telephone
wires. All schools had been closed
since the German occupation
GERMANS WEEKS AGO
PLANNED FOR RETREAT
The inhabitants assert that the Ger
man soldiers told them weeks ago that
they were about to retreat as they
were not able to Withstand the con-
slant attacks from the entente allies
on all parts OF the line, and further
that they were suffering from r short
age OF food supplies. These statements
confirm information that new military
works have been under construction
for some time past far in the rear OF
the German front line.
There appears to be no doubt in mil
itary circles that the pressure brought
10 bear during the Somme battles
hastened the Germans decision. to re-
treat. The French now are every
where close upon their heels. To-day
the advance guard Of the French army
kept In constant touch with the Ger
man rear guard. and French aviators
watched and reported the progress Of
the retreat. while German airmen were
invisible. Indications on all sides show
thot the retirement Of the Eernna ns 10 |