The Sentinel=record., 1918-09-21

Washington, Sept. Exchanges in
 the battle situation in France are toreshadowed by the impending cap ture of st. Quentin and the clearing ol St Gobain forest, indicated by the un- faltering progress of the British and French armies to be only a matter of few daXa---Both allied-an American military officials here are confident that new blows will fall immediately upon the Germans denying them any rest or chance to re- organize thei
 battered units. but the actual plans o Marshal Foch. supreme commander are as much of a mystery here as they are in Berlin.
 It now appears certain that General Pershing's first army has for the mo ment completed its allotted task, hay ing biotted out the St. Mihiei salient and restored to allied use, reserves of great importance in their further op- eraticns. In addition, it was pointed out today, the Americans have estah- lished positions in the vicinity of Metz which constitute a direct threat at that fortress which the enemy cannot ig- nore. As yet however there was noth - ine to indicate that the American com manier has embarked on the 4dr reaching campaign which would be necessary to attempt the capture of this German strOnehold.
 For the moment the allied offens- i've effort is concentrated on tho St. Quentin-LaFere- front There is, therefore, strong feeling here that larger operations which the supreme commander may contemplate in the immediate future hinge on breaking the enemy's resistance in this region and forcing him to a new retirement
 The Germans are known to be fever ishly active in the preparation Of a new line of defense along a wide front roughly parallelng the HtnienbWg line and some eight or ten miles far ther to the east. Aeain behind the front, according to information here they are not so fully known. 1t is dute evident however that the enemy is prepared to fa'l back by stages, fight
 ing as he goes if he is unable. as is now indicated, to hold his present 1 front.
 The capture of St. Quentin and the clearing of St. Gobain forest, it is felt here will almost certainly send the enemy main forces back to the first
 of his new defensive positions It is when that movement begins that the moment fer launching a new offensive effort will come, in the opinion of
 many observers here.
 / There are enormous difficulties to he faced in the breaking of the German ] grip on Lorraine by the reduction oi
 Metz it has been pointed out. It is not
 possible to reeard that city as a sin
 gle fortress which might be encircled
 and cut off.
 When the Germans insisted upon ln-
 cluding Metz i'll their booty after tho
 Franco Prussian WSr they had a verl , definite conception of its value, a con
 ception they have made good in stee and stone
 In effect, whole block of country some thirty square miles in extent and surrounding Metz and Thionville
 has been turned into a vast fortress. Officials here feel that the America' , people should fully realize the grea strength of this position and not pii their hopes to any swift campaign |, ' pershings men for it's capture. 1hi thing can be done, it is said, beeaus , any fortified position can be blastei away by modern artillery and with tn . huge American heavy ordnance pro lgram coming forward to supplement