The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-10-10
QUARTER MILLION

fCOnt1nued from rage One.J
main direction of his drive Northeast
ward and already has pushed to with
in two miles of the important railway
junction of LIE Cateau. The taking of
LIE Cateau, which seems imminent,
will cut the last of the lateral railway
lines connecting the German northern
front with the great salient of Laon
the evacuation Of the entire Laon
area. Before LIE Cateau the British
are on a line fully ten miles in ad-
/, vance of the longitudinal line running
between Cambria and ST. Quentin,
having swept thru the great part of
this area in great strides. driving be-
fore them a disorganized enemy. The
resistance of the Germans was report
ed to be stiffening during the night,
however, indicating that a stand must
be made in an effort to save the rail-
way junction as long as possible from
capture.
Meanwhile further south the
French are pushing toward the Disc
in the general direction of Guise. They
have made particular progress to the
east and southeast of st. Quentin,
where they are closely approaching
the river. Their columns here have
passed Fontaine Notre Dame, nearly
six miles directly east of St. Quentin.
This push is likewise having a marked
effect in closing the Laon pocket. In
the north the wedge driven from
Cambria east is already affecting the
army is moving forward here in the
direction Of Douai, which seems the
next great town marked for capture
| by the allies along the British section
| Of the line.
Pershing's Men There.
The American first army, under
General Pershing, is not being out
| done by the other allied forces in the
| delivery of hard blows upon the
| trembling German defensive system.
The thrust east of the Mouse. in the
Verdun area, is being closely followed
| by further attacks which have re-
suited in the advance of the line here
well up toward that won by the often
sive west of the river. In the Ar
gonne, where a junction has been eff
fected with the French at Lancon,
| thus virtually clearing the forest OF
| Germans. new attacks were, launched
| this morning. All the recent gains OF
General Pershing's men have been
held, notwithstanding the throwing in
| of German reserves.
Not the least interesting develop
ment of the American campaign is the
work Of the air forces, which evident
1y have been assembled in such num-
bers that an American bombing expe-
! dition which dropped more than thirty
I tons of bombs on German areas on
| Wednesday comprised no less than $50
machines.
Driving Hun Backward.
With the Anglo-American Forces
I Southeast of Cambria, Oct. 10.-Brit.
ish and American forces continued tc
advance rapidly and are driving the
demora1ized Germans before them, ac-
cording to all available reports on this
front. The whole battle is on a field
of he iexv,%
The many fires have completely de-
stroyed towns and farm houses.
/ Found City Deserted.
London, Oct. 1O.-French and Brit
ish war ships which entered Beirut
the chief seaport of Syria, on Sunday
found that the town had been evacu-
ated by the Turks, says an Official
statement issued today by the British
war office. - sTtss-
Beirut was occupied by detachment
of British Indian infantry Tuesday.
Serbs Enter Leskovats.
Serbian troops pursuing the defeat
| ed ninth Austrian division ON Monday
entered Leskovats, twenty-five miles
south of Nish and Vlasotintze. accord
ing to an official Serbian statement is
sued today.
French troops operating in Serbia
are pushing towards the Montenegrir
frontier, according to the central news
agency. The Serbian army has reached
a line between fifteen and eighteen
miles south of Nish
Withdrawing Everywhere.
Paris, Oct. 10.-The Germans are
reported to be withdrawing on wide
sectors along the whole 100 mile from
between Cambria and Rheims. They
are employing countless machine gun.
to slacken the allied push.
Toward Guise. the allies are accen-
tuating their progress and are report
ed to have reached the Sambre- Oist
canal, a four mile advance.
The railway from Laon to Mau
beuge via Guise is now under fire
| Northeast of Vailly, General Mangin i,
advancing on the roads toward era
onne.