The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-10-09
YANkS WIDENING
FRONT IN DRIVE
EAST Of MEUSE
Able To Bring Up More Troops
Against Germans.
Meuse Has Been q Menace to
the American Front.
SECOND DIVISION IN BATTLE
Yank Troops Satisfied With
Wilson's Peace Answer.
Verdun Freed From the Ger.
man Yoke of War.
SECOND DIVISION IN BATTLE

New York, Oct. 9.-General PERISH
ing is widening his front north of Ver-
dun in an effort to advance toward
the Luxemberg border with an in
creasing impetus. The Americans have
heightened their operations to the
east of the Meuse and by doing so are
now able to bring up more troops and
to concentrate a greater force against
the Germans in the Argonne forest. Up
Ito the present time the Meuse river
has been a consistent menace to Cen
eral Pershing's right wing, as the
Argonne is a danger to his left.
The twelve miles of frontage be-
tween these barriers has compelled
the utmost care in the disposition of
the American units and has seriously
hampered the tactical opeSations.
The Germans, on the east bank OF
the Meuse, are now being driven back
ward for perhaps one-half the depth
of the American front north of Ver-
dun. The Meuse, therefore is at least
in part an American possession instead
of a German barrier. The continuation
of pressure on the east side of the riv-
er will greatly assist the American
movement to reach the Grandpre road
way, running thru the Argonne mas
sif More freedom of maneuver will
be possible and there will be less need
| for caution in guarding against Ger
man attack on the American right.
Evacuate the Argonne.
The early evacuation of the Argonne
| has now become increasingly neces-
sary for the Germans. 1t has been
| forced on the attention of Won Hinden-
burg by this time that the Americans
have a disquieting habit of suddenly
rushing forward in advance of all pre-
vious time records and gaining their
! objective with thousands of prisoners
before the enemy has completed his
lponaerings about a voluntary retire
lment. General Pershing Ia making
such disposition OF his forces to sIs-
gest the possibility of just such lurch
| into the Grandpre road. If that oc-
| ours while the Germans still cling to
the southern part of the Argonne.
none of them will ever get away.
| Twice as Many Captives.
London. Oct. 9.-American losses in
terday were less than half the num-
ber of prisoners taken. according to
battle front dispatches received here
| today.
| General Pershing reported the num-
Der of prisoners taken by the Ameri-
cans at 1900.
| Second Division There.
With the American forces in France,
Oct. st is now permissible to state
that 1t was the second American di-
vision which bore the brunt of the re-
cent hard fighting in the Champagne.
This division took st. Etienne and the
positions leading to that town and
thus created the slight salient now
projecting into the German line.
| The second American division con-
sists of Fifth and Sixth regiments OF
marines, the Ninth and Twenty-third
infantry and the Fifteenth, Sixteenth
and Nineteenth regiments of artil-
lery.
| Pcrshing's Official
| Washington, Oct. 9.-American and
French troops are steadily driving the
enemy from the scene of the desper-
late struggles for Verdun, General
Pershing reported today in his COM
munique for yesterday announcing an
advance on both sides of the Meuse
and the capture of more than 5000
prisoners during the day. He also re-
ported the capture of Gornay against
stubborn fighting in the continued
advance in the Argonne forest.
Yanks Are Satisfied.
With the American Forces in
| France, Oct. 9.-President Wilson's re-
ply to the German peace proposal
| (ConffnueI on Page Twol