Catoctin clarion., 1918-10-10
FOE REFUSES TO
FIGHT OUR men
Americans Unable to Overcome
Enemy's Fear Even Of
Clash by Patrols.
PRISONERS ARE DESP0NDENT.
Artillery Fire 10 Purely Perfunctory.
German Command Accepts Situa.
tlon In Lorraine and Is Work.
ino Only on the Defensive.

With the American Forces In Lor-
ne.-Entrenched in the second lines
of the Hndenhurg system, the Ger
mans along the front southwest OF
Metz appear to have accepted the new
situation. The tactics they are EN-
ploying are wholly defensive ones.
The Germans are carrying out
half hearted and seemingly perfume
tory bombardment Of the American
lines. Even challenges by American
and French patrols are refused by the
enemy except where conflict Is In
evitable.
Shells from German .77-caliber guns
are reaching the American forward
positions, while those from the lOos
and the 15O's are falling In the back
areas. From time to time the shells
reach points throughout the sector,
but only at rare intervals does the
enemy fire give the impression that
concerted effort Is being made.
1t would appear that the Germans
are convinced that further attacks at
an early date are improbable and that
they themselves have neither the abil-
ity nor the heart to counter attack.
The situation rapidly has become like
that on old sectors, where both sides
are content to haraSs each other day
in and day out.
A bombardment that Is heavy
enough at times to be called q barrage
is laid down early in the morning. 1t
is followed by another some hours
later. The remainder Of the day Is
devoted to occasional shots and at
trmpts against the active allied air
planes.
American observers, both aerial and
those at fixed posts, report decreased
activity behind the German lines This
is taken to indicate that the units bat
tered in the American advance have
been relieved by fresher troops.
Three of the five American airplanes
lost in one day We're those belonging
to bombing formation which dropped
two tons OF explosives on German
troops near Marsla-Tour, south OF
Contains The group was attacked by
ten enemy machines. One German air
plane dropped. Caught at disndvan-
tage, the Americans separated, and
three of the planes were brought down
In flames.
Four German prisoners have been
brought in and delivered to the ofllcers
Of the American intelligence depart
ment for Interrogation without shot
having been fired An officer and n
patrol of l5 men were checked one
night by wires which had been electrl-
fed. The patrol returned the next
night with material to bridge the
wires. 1t was raining, however, and
the Germans had turned Off the cur
rent.
The patrol crossed the wires, came.
to another wire and wandered through
an abandoned communication trench
until sentry was encountered. one
of the Americans, addressing the SEN
try In German. succeeded in obtaining
the counterSgn before the sentry dis
covered the Americans identity. with
the sentry prisoner, the patrol moved
on until second sentry was met.
This German recognized the Amerl-
cans and fled to his dugOut. The
Americans battered down the door and
captured him and two of his comrades.
A certain American division which
took more than its quota OF prisoners
has made an exhaustive examination
of these letters and found that the
morale, even of the men In the Tenth
German Divison-conceded to be the
best opposing the Americans-is de-
cidedly low, If it can be judged from
private letters never Intended for
American consumption.