Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1918-09-06


man bases, but as the enemy IN ue-
parting left 1t full of mustard gas it
could not be utilized by the French.
However, they didn't need it, for they
pushed ahead so relentlessly that the
next day they passed through Nesle,
and on Thursday they were near Ham,
only IL miles from st. Quentin. In
their retreat there the Huns lost three
complete munition trains, which
proved they were in something of a
hurry. This drive on Ham made a big
salient in the German lines and rem
dered the enemy's situation along the
entire front more desperate than ever.
IA
South of the Disc General Mangin
made use of some American units in
his attacks on the salient north of
Scissors. He was aiming at the
heights at the western end of the
Chemin des Danes, and the decided
progress he made imperiled the Ger
man positions both to the east and to
the west. At Juvigny on the Ailette,
too, the Americans came into action,
helping the French to repulse heavy
attacks.
Along the Vesle the Americans had
some severe fighting during the week.
They attacked Bazoches, gained a
foothold there and chung to 1t; but at
the same time the Huns attacked Fis-
mette in force and compelled the
Yankees to fall back. The enemy,
however, was not permitted to cross
the river. This little reverse was not
considered by General Pershing to be
Of especial importance.
Over In Germany the effects Of Mar
shall Foch's successes became more
apparent daily. The press and certain
emissaries of Hindenburg and Luden-
dorff ~endeavored to explain away the
German defeats or to minimize them,
but the murmurs of the people grew
louder. Their confidence in final vic
tory is waning rapidly, despite the
pan-German organs, which violently
prod the faint-hearted. Dispatches
from neutral sources indicate that Ber-
lin will soon launch another peace Of
f~ensive, offering to give up Belgium
and northern France. 1t is against
just such an ~illusory proposition that
the wise men of the allies are warm
ing the people. Nothing would suit
Germany better just now than a peace
on such a basis; but nothing should
or will suit the allied nations except
a peace dictated by themselves after
the military power of the Hun has
been utterly broken. The peace of
compromise, leaving Germany the pow
er to make q new and more terrible
war in future, is sure to receive the
support of the influences in the country
that are controlled by the ~insidious
German propaganda, and it is against
this that America must especially
guard itself.
SPANS threat to seize interned Ger
man shipping to compensate for
Spanish losses by submarine warfare
had it's effect in Berlin, for though
the German government did not yield
entirely, it made it plain that it want
ed no more countries added to the list
of its enemies. While the discussion
was going on, however, another Span
ish vessel was torpedoed, and the sit
uation became yet more critical.
Ia
Indirect adyices from Austria-Hun-
gary emphasize the desperate inter-
nal condition Of that empire. The b.
hemians appear to be on the edge of
organized revoN and they would re-
ceive the support of the Slovaks. Aus
tria and Hungary are in a perpetual
quarrel. The former has now forbid
den the export Of pharmaceutical sup
plies to Hungary, and the latter has
retaliated by ordering that its food
supplies shall go only to Hungary and
the army.
After a slight setback. the cause Of
the allies in Siberia and Russia prop
er made good progress during the
week. At first the bolsheviki forced
the allies on the Ussuri front to retire,
but requirements came up, includ.
ing Japanese and American troops.
and the satisfactory conditions were
~re-established in quick order. The
bold attempt Of General Horvath, self
styled dictator Of Siberia to execute a
coup d'etat and gain control o. all the
Russian military forces in the far
East was blocked by the allies, whose
representatives at Vladivostok in
formed General Pleshkoff, Horvath's
emissary, that the allied nations would
countenance no government not In ac-
cord with the wishes of the people. |