Arizona republican., 1918-10-11
EVENTS FRAMING ID FORCE INVASION 0F
 GERMANY VIA RHINE
Republican A. p. Leased Wirc1

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10-The who'll ly unexpected extent of the German collapse between St. Quentin and Cambrai which leaves, as the enemy stands today, a great gap torn in the center of the lines that were already struggling to eXtricate themselves and get back to a shorter front, has given rise to the belief here that there is even the possibilities of d crushing and immediate military victory for the allies.
 Should the French to the south or the British to the north also suc- ceed in breaking through before the Germans can complete an extensive retirement, the capture or destruction of whole enemy army group might be realized. In the opinion of observ- CTS here the situation today has al most limitless possibilities and Mar shal F'och is virtually certain to con- centrate every ounce of power at his command in an effort to execute final coup.
 Vivtory Precedes Invasion
 The smashing victory of the Anglo American forces north of St. Quentin may be paving the way for early in vasion of Germany itself Striking hints of wholly new enterprise, di- rected at the upper Rhine valley, have come from unofficial quarters in France and they follow repeated re- ports from Switzerland that the civil population of the Rhine valley towns are being removed by the German authorities.
 Some officers here regard these re- ports as highly significant. They give them particular weight because il now appears certain that the enemy will be forced back all along the front in northern France and Belgium with in the next few days. While the con- stant hammering is kept up in the north, to pin the German armies there, it might be possible it was said, to de- liver new stroke on the Alsace-Lor- raine front that might swiftly develop 1 into an invasion of Germany itself by way of the Rhine valley.
 Shortest Route to Germany It does not appear likely, however, that the Rhine drive plans, if there are such plans, will develop until the | situation clears in the north. Should | the German armies escape the triple | trap between Nerduh and the north sea, however, and establish a line on the Mouse front, many officers are confident that the center of attack will swing suddenly to a drive into Germany itself by the shortest route, the Rhine valley.
 ! For the moment, attention is con- centrated on the forward rush of the Anglo American forces which have broken through the great St. Quentin Cambrai defensive zone. To the south it is known that the enemy is strain ing every effort to hold up the French along the Suippe river All but one of the 24 good German divisions on this front, it has been reported, are in the front line. Should the French reach and pass the Aisne, as they threaten to do, the enemy forces in the Laon pocket, apparently, would be | in desperate straits.
 Still further east to the Mouse and beyond, French and American forces are striking fiercely ahead carrying an even wider menace, and to the north of Lille, Belgian. French ano British troops have driven forward another grim threat. To no part of the line, apparently, can the hard pressed center turn for endorsements an( relief on scale that would more thar delay the advance at any point.
 Spearhead at Le Cateau
 The spearhead of the British ad- vance was reported at Le Cateau to- day. That would mean that the An glo- American efforts has forged ahead until the northern end of the grea railway system behind the Germans i. only 15 miles distant. This latera , trunk line passes through Valencien , nes, Avesnes and Hirson, reaches tht l Mouse at Charleville and runs thence through Sedan and on to the south east.
 General March, chief of staff indi cated last Saturday that the cuttin; of this greatest single communication , system of the enemy was the mail objective of the American thrust wes 1 fC1pt;nrad ~, p,r> pTr,>N