The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-09-16
Yield Ground on the Whole st.
Mihiel Front.
Metz Now Within Range of the
American Guns.
GERMANS DIG IN FOR DEFENSE
Aerial Fighting Becomes In
tense Over American Front.
At Least One-FOurth of the
Force in Salient Captured.

London, Sept. 16.-The Germans are
apparently withdrawing along the
whole thirty-three mile front between
Abeaucourt and the Moselle in an eff
fort to improve the protection of COM
munications in the vicinity of Metz.
The Americans advanced from two
to three miles on this front, and In
some places their patrols pushed for
ward an additional two miles.
Metz Within Range.
Metz is under long range bombard-
ment, it is learned here today
(Metz is about ten miles from the
nearest known advance of the Ameri-
cans.)
Six German divisions, totalIing
$4,000 men. were operating in the st.
Mfhiel salient when the Americans
began their attack it has been learned.
OF these fully fourth were taken
prisoner.
Germans Arc Digging In.
With the Americans on the Metz
front, Sept. 16.-Both American wings
are reported to be Strengthening out
ana co-ordinating their positions across
the late st. Mihiel salient. Our patrols
now control the area between the
American lines and the Hindenburg
reserve defenses.
Inc Germans are digging in far to
the rear, rather than attempting to
dispute the American gains effectively.
Aeriai fighting. is intense, battle
planes are forcing the boches to re-
main more than five kiIometers (about
three miles) behind positions which
otherwise would constitute their for
ward lines, while reconnaissance and
bombing planes and artillery liaison
units operate undisturbed despite nu-
merous air fights.
The number of German airrnen has
suddenly increased tremendously, but
Is still insufficient to meet the British,
french and American forces Tons of
bombs are being dropped on the Ger
| man military positions far in the rear.
There was stiff infantry fighting
during the night along the MoselIe,
where Americans stormed fortified
quarrfes.
Only a Few French Engaged.
! With the American Army in France,
Sept. 15.-The role of the French di-
visions engaged in the St. MihieI bat
tie was to attack the head of the sa-
lent and assist the Americans in their
drive against its western 'front.' while
the main mass of the Americans was
pushing thru the southern side of the
salient. Only few French divisions
were engaged, one of which under
the American command formed the
extreme left of the attack on the west
ern front of the salient. 1t had a
powerful force Of Americans on its
right.
This Franco-American army started
from the region of Les Eparges and
advanced southeastward to Join hands
with the Woevre army from Wig
neulles. Other French divisions CO.
operated in the attack on both sides
Of the blunt head of the salient. The
hardest task fell to the division which
attacked north of st. Mihiel. It had
to fight its way across the densely
wooded massif of the heights of the
Meuse and carry hills of twelve hum
dred feet in the face of the enemy re-
$500 prisoners, of whom 1900 were
Austrians.
Took st. NIihiel Without a Fight.
| st. Mihie1, cut of from the north
and the south. was taken without q
fight, the Germans slipping out on
| Thursday night. Aware that an at
| tack was imminent. they had begun a
retreat to the Hindenburg line or as
| they call this section, the main line
| of defense" This ''Kriemhild" posi-
| ton spans the base Of the salient fror,
i Etafn to the vicinity of Pagny. The
attack was launched at exactly the
right moment Had it been postponed
a day or two longer. the enemy would
have had his troops safely slowed
away behind the Kriemhild trenches
1 and the allies would have captured
neither men nor materials. Enemy
stores and depots in the salient had to
be burned and the Germans set fire
to villages in the plain beyond the
Meuse. but the damage done was less
than anticipated.
u French end American forces were
today in contact with the KriemhiId
defenses which are certainly of enor-
| nous strength. Yet it may be doubted
whether the enemy feels safe in these
entertainments after having been driv-
en- in day from some of the strong
est natural positions on the whole
front These positions withstood some