The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-10-02
Overcome Almost Insurmount-
able Obstacles in Advance. !
In Argonne Forest, Americans
Smash the Hun. <.
GERMAN LOSSES ARE HEAVY
Hun Is Throwing in Heavy Re-
Inducements To Hold
Take Road Builders and Put
Them in Trenches.

London, Oct. 2-(4:36 p. m.).-The
battle in the Argonne region is fluc-s
tuating, battle front dispatches re-
port this afternoon. The Americans
are said to have been elected frora Ex-
ermont Give miles north of Varen-
nes).
With the Americans west of Yer
dun, Oct. 2.-While activity in the re-.
mainder of the line is confined to re-
pulsing bitter counter attacks and
consolidating newly won positions, the
Americans in the depth of the Argonne
forest are showing forward somewhat
today.
The Americans are continuing to
beat up bOche reserve. The fact that
they have not made any great strid les
forward in the past few days does not
indicate that the Americans are thru.
On the contrary they have just begun
and from now on the first army can
be counted on to make a steady, tho
not spectacular, advance.
Germans to Retire. -
Evidences are accumulating that
the Germans are preparing to with
draw from their advanced positions
opposite the Americans. Coupled
with the French advances on our left
this will bring the pinching out of the
famous forest that much nearer.
American patrols have already pene-
trated Montebeau wood.
Overcoming almost insurmountable
obstacles, they are rectifying their
line. The density of the forest ren-
ders liaison most difficult. but each
group goes forward as rapidly as pos
sible maintaining communication with
the aid of runners. 7
Boche Loses Heavily.
Continuous counter attacks in the
region of Apremont resulted In GER
tain territory changing hands four or
Of kes nh ri
wind fighting, the Americans had won
a slight advantage. The boche, 1T is
established. suffered heavy losses.
prisoners saying that some companies
lost fully 80 per cent of their effect
ives. Heavy counter attacks north OF
Nantillios were repulsed. The Ger
mans continue to reinforce their hines
with fresh troops. Troops ordinarily
used exclusively for road bufldfng nre
among the prisoners as well as some
from crack divisions.
Hun Cannot Cut Line.
With the American Army Northwest
of Verdun, Tuesday. Oct. l1.-German n
efforts to penetrate or bend the line
between the Meuse and the Aisne
dwindied rapidly today. One minor
counter attack, some outpost scrim-
maGing and a half-hearted lombard
ment characterized the enemy's activ-
ity-
ne AIneTACdHS TeSpuISeQ d counter
attack north OF Apremont and then
accepted the situation. Both the
front line and the back areas held by
the Germans were shelled vigorously
from early morning until night. In
the afternoon the clouds disappeared
and aviators were able to resume their
observation patrols and pursue enemy
planes and balloons.
With the clearing weather the engi-
leers have converted the areas back
of the American front into an orderly
place once more. Roads that had
been untouched for years and made
worse by the movement of truck trains
| and artillery were once more made
pasSable.
French Press On.
On the left flank of the American
the French pressed their lines slightly
| forward bringing near the time wher
| the Germans must fight with less
| hopefulness to maintain their line wes
| of the Meuse. American detachmen
| in the Argonne- forest continue te
clean up the wilderness, sending back
| scores of machine guns, trench NOR.
tars and other captured material. Or
the salvage list there appeared today
| three observation balloons. They ha6
| been left in their shed at the eastern
| edge of EyPrmOnf wood