The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-10-11
Civil Populations of Valley Towns Already Being Re moved by German
 Authorities
CRUSHING MILITARY
 DEFEAT BY ALLIES MAY SOON COME
Attention at Present Is Centered on Startling Forward Rush of the Anglo Americans Through
 Cambrai-St. Quentin
 Defensive Zone

Washington. October 10. Tue smashing victory of the Anglo-American forces north of St. Quentin may be paving the way for early invasion of Germany itself. Striking hints of a wholly new enterprise, directed at the upper Rhine valley, have come from unof- fical quarters in France and they follow repeated reports from Switzerland that the civil populations of the Rhine val { ley towns were being removed lbv the German authorities. | {.;oan sssrs nere reeArd 1hese re- ports as highly significant They give them particular weight because it now appears certain that the enemy will be forced far back all along the front lin northern France and Belgium with in the next few days While the con l stant hammering is kept up in tho north to pin the German armies there. lit might be possible 1t was said, to deliver a new stroke on the Alsace- Lorraine front that might swiftly de- lvelop into an invasion of Germany it- self by way of the Rhine valley. The Wholly unexpected extent of the German collapse between st. | Quentin and Cnmbrai, however, may 1 xl-E~s &IsA Rhine Marshal F0ch may have
 planned. As the enemy stands fo- l day with a great gap torn in the
 center of the lines that were ai- | ready struggling to cxtricntc them
 selves and get back to n shorter
 front, there k even the possibility
 Of a crushing md immediate mfif-
 ,ary victory for the allies.
 CAPTURE OF ARMY POSSIBLE should the French to the south or the British to the north also succeed in breaking through before the Ger mans can complete an extensive re- tircment. the capture or destruction of a whole enemy azmy group might be realized. Tn the opinion or observers here the situation today has almost tlimitless possibilities and Marshal Foch is virtually certain to concentrate ev- cry ounce of power at his command in an effort to execute a final coup. ror this reason 1t does not appear lnkely that the iSnne drive plans. if | there are such plans will develop un- 1 til the situation clears in the north. Should the German armies escape tho 1 triple trap between Verdun and the North sea- however. and establish line Ion the Mouse front, many officers are eonhdent that the center of attack will swing suddenly to a drive into Germany iitself by the shortest route, the Rhine
 valley
 For the moment, attention is con- ! cent. nted on the startling forward sh of the Angio-tmerican forces winch have broken through the
 great st. Qmentin-C -Cambrni defcn-
 .ivc xonc.,fo the south, 1t K known | that the enemy is straininc every effort heii 1p the Frenei along the $. .ipr river. All but of
 tI. 2. good German divisions on
 this f ont, It has been reported. are
 now in the front line. should the I Frcoeh reach and pass the Aisne, as l they threaten to do, the enemy | forces i'm the Lnon pocket appnrent- ly would he in desperate straits. MENACED EAST OF MEUSE
 Still farther east to the Mouse and beyond French and American forces arc Istriking hercely ahead, carrying an even wider menace, and to the north of Lillie Belgian French and British | troops have driven forward another grim threat To no part of the line, apparently can the hard-pressed cen l ter turn for achievements and reliet
 tContinued on Page Sevcnp