Licking Valley courier., 1918-09-26

hard fight before he evacuates that |
Keystone position.
RI
StubbOrnly hanging on to the west !
end of the Chemin-des-Dames and i'm
proving their positions there, the
French repulsed nlnny fierce attacks
last week and advanced toward LaOn
along the southern edge of the ST.
Cobain forest. The entire plateau
southwest of Laon Is under the fire
of their artillery, and though they were
moving forward with due caution, they
showed no intentions Of stopping.
IA
On the new American front in
French Lorraine the infantry activity
during the week was confined mostly
to operations for the solidlfylng of po-
sltiOns, though the Yankees did push
forward along the Mense for a con-
siderable gain. This brought Metz un-
der the fire of their artillery and the
bombardment of that great fortress
city began ut once and vigorously. It
seems that the allies are now In pO-
sition to keep up the sheling of Metz
during the fall and winter, If neces-
sary. and thus its reduction, virtually
>1n.p pSsslble eTNBy-direct attack, may be
accomplished. The Germans now ad-
nit the Importance of the American
drive on the st. Mlhiel salient, but the
deception of their people through the
official reports continues, as exempli-
fed by the statement, one day last
week, that American attacks on Hau-
mont had been repulsed and the Yam
KEGS also had been beaten AT Thlau-
mont. At that time Haumont had been
safely held by the Americans for three
days and Thiaumont was already five
miles behind Pershing's lines. Fresnes,
an important city, also was taken by
the Yankees last week, and the line
built by them now runs parallel with
the Hindenburg line mt an average dis
tance Of a mile and half. Every day
the German artillery has been deluging
the old salient with explosive and gas
shells, and the American gunners have
= replied most effectively, battering the
towns held by the Huns and several
times breaking up attempted infantry
( attacks, with severe loss 10 the enemy.
The airmen on both sides were extra
ordinarily active aud the Americans
carried out number of highly sue
ccSsful bombing expeditions over en-
emy territory. In one Of these, how
ever. n superior force was encountered
and five Of our planes were lost. Incl
dcntally the British reported that ii
the St. Quentin sector the Germans
were using II new type Of plane that
carries eight men and bombs 10 fee
long and weighing 20C0 pounds.
IA
All along the west front the ail
fighting was most intense. In on,
day the British brought down GO enem!
planes and lost 16, which indicates tn,
herceness of the struggle for the mas
terry of the air, The Independent Brit
ish air squadrons kept up their fin
. work In the bombing of German cities
notably Mannheim, Met2.SablonS
Treves and Frankfort. This bring
howls from the. Huns which are muSi
? to the allied ear.
hi
+ The bolshevlk forces In Russia, fo
which some victories were elaine
i early In the week, later were reporte
TO he retreatlng on both the nOrther
and southern fronts. The CZechC
+ Slovnks along the Volga continue
I their advance, and the fact that the
+ captured Perm, capital of the govern
= ment Of that name, Indicated they wer
II in a fair way to effect the junction ,
Z the forces which are fighting in ives
3 ern Siberu with those which have bee
= engaged In southeastern Russia.
e was predicted, the Japanese censors d
$ not permit much news TO come fro
n the allied expedition In Siberia. hi
h what does come is satisfactory.
< In Russia the reign Of terror ins
It tuted by the b0shevlki to suppress Il
q counter revolution continues and u
T. known numbers of the opponents
It Lenlne and Trotzky have been ma
d sacred The American government Ia
lf week issued Il series of articles expo
q. ing those two precious rascalS as Il
II. paid agents Of Germany, giving d
IN text Of many secret documents q
talned by un agent of the commit
ON public information All this ma
K, intensely interesting reading, but
n one In America except few hlghbrC
C. \ "intelectuals" is surprised by the fa,
lr revealed, and there doesn't seem Il
IS, way to get those facts hcfore the RI
of sian people whom Lenlne and Trota
ut and their crew have trlckcd and
L. trayed.