New-York tribune., 1918-09-30
Huns Battling
or Lives on
100-Mile Front:
Foch Is Storming Enemy
Lines With at Least
100000 Men
By Arthur S. Draper
Especial Cable to The Tribune)

Copyright. 1918. New York Tribune Inc)
LONDON, Sept. 29.-From the sea to
Vcrdun the hattlefronts are ablazc
with Foch pounding at the enemy lines
Ih's morning he supplemented his at
tacks against Champagne, Argonnc and
Cambria by two mighty blows, ore by
the British second army and the Bel
gians against the Ypres front and tho
other by Mangin's army between the
Aisne and Athletic.
Early to-day the bag of prisoners
since the opening of the attack Thurs
day totallcd more than 10000, while
the number of guns captured exceeded
Coo. The actual fighting front meas
ures close to 100 miles, with force
of at least 100000 storming the Ger.
man lines.
Nothing during the war w;s compar-
able with Foch's effort at the present
moment. On every one of the four
distinct battlefronts a violent struggle
is taking place at the present time
The Germans are battling for thcir
very lives, with Ludendorff facing the
supreme crisis of his leadership.
Goes Well for Allies
Everywhere the battle goes we'll for
the Allies. Foch selected his points of
attack just far enough apart to prevent
the enemy from reinforcing his weaker
points, and he timed his attacks so as
to catch the Germans off their balance,
apd is strategy is bringing glorious
results.
To prevent confusion, it is we'll to
divide the mammoth battle into four
separate duels, any one of which would
be considered gigantic, judged by previ-
Gus standards. The first is the Franco
American attack on both sides of the
Argonne. Here the French, having
overcome stubborn resistance by this
enemy after his retirement to the sec
ond line, have advanced beyond Som
mepy and taken the heights north of
Fontaine- ne-en-Dormois.
With the capture of Sommepy the
Germans lost valuable observation
post, as we'll as an important road and
railway junction. The French are less
than four miles from the Monthois
Junction line running from Grandpre
on ono of the few defiles traversinr
the~Argonne.
Fighting is Bitter
Inc French arc winning ground only
after the stiffest kind of fighting, but
their progress is entirely satisfactory
and it is likely that they soon will
link up with the Americans on their
right. East of Argonne the Americans
are also meeting with stern opposition,
but have handled very cleverly the
strong enemy reaction.
This joint drive has heightened the
enemys line materially and he has
paid dearly wherever he has elected to
stand and fight.
AS l write Cambrai seems outhanked
from the north, gallant Canadians hav-
ing crossed the Cambrai-Douai road
early this morning soon after the on
slaught was renewed. All of the en-
emys strong defensive positions west
and northwest Of the city have been
captured, and news of the evacuation
or the city seems certain to come soon.
Germans Are Desperate
In violence this battle has never been
surpassed. both sides employing huge
masses. The enemy is fighting with
desperation, knowing that the loss of
Cambria jeopardizes his whole defen-
slve system along the Somme.
Haig is employing the famous Ian
frog tactics, one division passing
through another wherever resistance
is stubborn. The crossing of the
canal is marvellous feat, much credit
being due to the engineers who threw
over bridges sufficiently strong to
mold the men and guns within four
hours Of the opening assault.
The Grown Prince has his hands full
and cannot release any troops for his
more troubled colleagues at Cambrai
ana an Champagne. Mangin is holding
function Of this attack at tha mnmant