The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-10-26


her towns and her people have suf-
fered some of the horrors of war that
her brutal soldiers have inflicted on
Belgium, northern France and Serbia.
The absolute unrepentance of the
Huns for their outrages is shown by
their action in looting and wantonly
destroying the towns in France from
which they are being driven and in
their practice of carrying away with
them thousands of the helpless inhab-
itantS who are forced to work for
them like slaves. The formal warning
Of France that there would be retribu-
ton for these shameful deeds has been
disregarded, and If adequate punish
ment is not inflicted there will be a
general feeling that justice has mis-
carried
President Wilson and his confiden-
tial advisers. it Is said, still believe
the German people will rise In revo-
luton and GUST the Hohenzollern crew,
and his inquiry as to whom Prince
Max represents Is significant in that
connection. The chancellor, In his
speech to the reichstag, undertook
rather feebly to demonstrate that re-
cent political changes actually had put
the people In power and that he was
their representative. But all that was
looked on as bunk
The diplomatic situation resolved IT.
self down to this The German gov
eminent must either admit defeat and
surrender on allied terms, or 1t must
confess that the chancellor was not
acting in good faith. That is the .hes.s
ir which I'll esfdent wilson TffS n Bed
Prince Max and his associates.
Ia
The greatest blow delivered by the
allied armies last week was between
Cambria and st. Quentin. There Field
Marshal Haig's tireless forces, re-en-
forced by American divisions, tore a
20-mile gap through the strongest Of
Hindenburg's boosted defenses, cap
turing dozens of villages and many
thousands Of prisoners and on Wednes-
Gay occupied the long and des-
perately defended city Of Cambria.
The Huns, in full flight, blew up most
of Cambria and burned Bohain, Mar
ctz and many another beautiful town,
hut the allies did not even stop to ex-
tinguish the flames. The enemy ap-
parently was attempting to reconsti-
tute his lines, back of the Selle
river from lie Cateau to Solesnes, SO
Haig's troops, led by the cavalry,
pushed rapidly forward and the big
guns followed so fast that they kept
the Huns always under fire. Only the
German machine gunners put up cred
table defense, the riflemen who could
be overtaken generally surrendering
willingly. Prisoners said the German
plan was to retreat to the Valenciennes
line and then to the Mouse, and 1t was
evident the retirement of the German
armies from France was well under
way. They will fight all the way back
to their borders, Of course, but the
country Is open and the tanks and cav
airy of the allies will have daily in
creasing opportunity to do their part.
The Germans still have the strength
to maintain fairly orderly retreat,
and if the war is ended by military
decision, 1t is admitted the Huns may
be able to postpone that inevitable
event for many months. When they
do reach the Meuse they will be be-
lind powerful defenses, but the ma
ture of those defenses Is known to the
allied commanders, and so far as the
Notifications there are concerned, the
immense sum just asked of congress
for American artillery may be taken
TIC indicate the tremendous concentra-
ton Of gunfire that will be used to
batter them to pieces.
Ia
While their comrades were helping
the British In the great drive in the
Cambria region, the American First
army was exceedingly busy west of
the Mouse. For many days the dough
boys battled their way through the Ar
gonne forest, and at the northern end
of 1t they went up against a concen-
tration of Huns gathered for the de-
tense of the Kriemhilde line. Pausing
to permit their artillery to pour
rain of shells on the German positions
for 10 hours, the Yanks advanced to
the attack Wednesday, and by bril-
liant and swift ADVANCE broke through