The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-10-07
ALLIES ADVANCE

ALLIES ADvANCE
Continued from Page One,
villages southeast and west of Lille
burning. The French found Nogent-
L'Bassee and villages in the Suippe
valley in flames.
(By the Associated Press)
Outfuusnl ny Llte l. ISucn siliu Amer
leans the GSriuans are fetreat.nS On u
WIue front III the Cna1npaSue sector
between Rn.lms anu the Atsunne Iur-
est. Ine enemy mas Deen Caught be-
tween General bertheloIs army on the
west anu General Gouraua forces on
the east anu is retiring notlhWara to-
ward the Retourne RIVER.
1T may be possible tor him to stand
back oIthat stream, but 1t seems nm
prouaDle tnat there Will be much OF
u malt IN the retreat until Germans
reacn the Aisne. General Bertheiots
advance in the Rheims region has
gravely menaced the enemy forces
south of the RetOurne, and, altho the
retrograde movement is beng covered
by rear guards, well supplied with ma
chine guns, II appears TO be going ON
rapidly. The French seem to have
reached the Suippe over a wide front.
Retreat Lille to Cambria.
From the region of Lille southwark
when Lens and Armentieres were
abandoned last week is continuing
with what appears to be precipitation
There is every reason to believe that
the city IF Lille will be evacuated by
the enemy within a few days and that
his retirement will extend Tar down The
front to the st. Quentin sector. where
both the French and British are re-
ported to be clear thru the linden
purg line. Ef-
SO far the German line from St.
Quentin south to the Ailette and
thence eastward TO Berry Au-Bac is
standing quite firmly and evidently
this part of the enemy's position is
being Used as a pivot as his. armies,
to the north and east swing back to
new positions.
Italian forces, however, have struck
at the German lines is front of Laon
and early reports of progress made
there would appear tofjustify the be-
lief that the hinge of the foes lines
may be broken.
Bombers Are Busy.
London, Oct. 7.-Successful bomb
ing expeditions against Kaiser Lau-
tern, Piermasies Mezieres. Thionville,
courcelles and the airdromes at
Morange and Frescaty were reported
in Sundays official statement issued
BY the independent air force.
Heavy fighting was carried on
Saturday night, in the course of which
the British machines dropped twelve
and a half tons of bombs on the rail-
way stations at various towns. Nine
heavy bombs were dropped on a fac
tory at Burbach. Fire broke out at
Courcelles.
Down II Machines.
Paris, Oct Tn spite of most I'M
favorable weather conditions. French
aviators operated with success, the
French official said detailing the
operations today.
Several tons of bombs were dropped
on detectives behind the enemy lines
and twenty-one enemy machines were
either shot down or forced to land out
of control. Thirteen and a half tons of
bombs were dropped during the day
on conveys, enemy assemblies and bat
teries. which were forced to cease fir
ing, it was stated.
Fires were started in the railway
stations at Chalete Sur Betourne and
Neuflize.
Rheims Is Liberated.
Paris, Oct. Rheims has been
finally and definitely cleared from the
| menace of German cannon. The Ger
mans are in retreat on the whole
front from the Suippe to the Arnes, as
well as in the region south of Cam
brai. In the first named sector. the
allies have reached the Arnes river on
which the enemy hoped to make a
stand. In the second region the Brit
ish Fourth army has crushed counter
attacks which the enemy delivered in
an effort to prevent its progress to-
ward Bohain and cover their retreat
to the south. These two movements
of retreat form a part of plan which
was to have brought the German arm
les to new lines of resistance much
nearer the frontier. it appears, but the
constant pressure of the allied troops
is making the execution of the plan
fmost difficult and hazardous.
The peace proposals of the central
powers are in no way interfering with
the policy of destruction the German
stats seem to have decided upon.
Saltaunines. near Lens, is burning and
| fires have sbeen seen west and SOUTH
west of Lille and between Douai and
souain. The troops advancing in the
| Champagne found Nogent-L Abbesse
Beine and all the villages in the valley
of the Suippe in flames.
Laon has been ahlaze since Sunday
| indicating that the enemy may be
about to leave that region. as the
Chemin des Danes, already turned by
| General Mangin on the west, has beer
turned on the east by the troops who
have crossed the Aisne at several
points in the vicinity OF Berry-Au.
Bac, making it appear that the Laon.
English in Advance.
London, Oct. Further progress:
was made by the British last night or
the front between Lens and Cambria
Field Marshal Haig announced toda,
crossings of the Scheldt canal north o