The sun., 1918-09-17
ST, MIHIEL MADE TO
PAY A HEAVY TOLL
Her $500 Inhabitants Forced
to Contribute 100000
to Enemy.
Ivy GERALD CAMPBELL.

w hhChss
Ky GERALD CAMPBELL.
Special Gable Despatch to TIE sus from the
London Times Serrice.
Copyright 1918; oil rights reserved.
WITH THE FRENCH ARMY. Sept. 16.
On Saturday morning.I went to have
a look at St. Mihiel. now 30 happily
delivered from the hand OF the invader
after an occupation that lasted nearly
four years. 1t came back to the French
without any actual assault and the town
il in much the same way as 1t left
their possession in September. 1914.
The main business OF the attack.
which at last has removed the famous
salient from the war map, was en-
trusted to the American troops the
first time they had taken the field as
separate national army under Gen.
Pershing with their share OF the joint
operation | have nothing to do beyond
congratulating them warmly upon its
complete success. They have struck a
fine blow for France and the other
allies and one that will have even
greater effect in Germany than in this
country.
am writing this message at -.
into which came week or SO before
St Mihiel was lost. Since then l have
l'visited many points on the French front
| on both sides OF :he salient and have
, written of the splendid tenacity with
which the French held on to It, They
| were resolved that the enemy should not
| advance a step westward from the van
tage ground which they had gained
| largely as the result of an infamous
breach OF faith with which the war be
| gan. That resolve has been kept and
now the salient has gone, the last ms 1t
was the first, OF the pockets of any con-
| sidera Bile size the Germans have made In
! the allied front since the days OF the
! first battle of the Marine.
Their Faith Justified.
Over and over again since those days
at Eparges, Chauvencourt. In the forests
Of Appremont and ALLY and at many
| another holly contested point along
the heights of the Mouse and the plains
of the Woevre thousands Of French
men have freely given their lives TO
keep the barrier intact. Now their faith
has been justified. Not only has the
barrier held but the enemy has been
forced to retreat TO the lire across tina
base OF the triangle. and his holding 1t
| all this time has proflted him nothing.
IL was fitting. considering the sacrl-
fees France has made and the heroism
her soldiers have shown in this part OF
the battlefield, that the attack on the
angle of the salient taking back 81.
Mihlel itself, should have been carried
out by French troops. The Americans
were massed on their right and were
massed on their left north OF Les
! lit laft nf American
army containing also French troops. The
actual cutting OF OF the salient and Join
ing hands of the right and left wings oi
the assaulting force were thus carried
out by Gen. Pershings fine army Ing
French centre advanced to the ehein'
posltions north and south Of 81. Mihiel
on which there was no direct attack
Nearly $4,000 Trapped.
The result OF this threefold manpuvrs
every one knows. 1t was not only al
mirably conceived but most beautifully
timed, The enemy felt the attack was
coming and that they were not stront
enough TO resist It. They had. accord
ingly. made up their minds to evacuat'
the tongue Of land which they had helc
so long, and when the Allies began theil
advance on Thursday morning they
found the Germans had WITHDRAWN mos
| Of their guns but had not had time II
which to withdraw their infantry. Con
seuiently when the two ends were draw
together nearly $4,000 prisoners wer'
caught in the pocket
But II France Is thankful. you can i'm
aelne the state OF feeling among III
zoo inhabitants OF ST. Mihiel who hav
: lived for 90 long under the German hee
have seen many OF these emancipate
victims OF the German advance. but pou
who did not appear radiantly happy
Troops Of them were wandering ab0u
in the morning sunshine among III
; ruins of their town telling their story
: tins soldiers and any one else wh
wanted TO talk to them. They do no
! complain OF i'll treatment beyond tn
, fact that the Germans were continuail
piHaging their money when they coul
find II, and their household goods. an
{ that they suffered much scarcity OF fool
The enemy had all they wanted. appar
emily. At all events they had meat.
The French food allowance containe'
no meat except an occasional bit o
, horse fiesh say once month abou
, three-fifths OF a pound OF bread a da.
, and n small allowance of dried veSe
tables and fat. sometimes including
: bacon.
i Leyies OF 1000, 900 Francs Exacte,
q A contribution called n war levy o
D 100000 francs was eXscted when tn
enemy first arrived and since then an
other half million francs was extorte
: from the townspeople on various shal
low pretexts,
n | Thursday night when the enemy lef
Z the town finally, after blowing up tire
r passerelles, which lie close alongside tn
n ruins Of an old stone bridge destroye
' at the beginning OF the war they too
[ with them all the boys over 16 an
4 men under 43-7s in all That was
v fitting sequel to the policy of takn
v hostages which the Germans started |
1914, when they carried OF to German
n a number OF people OF various ages an
e both sexes and continued in differer
q | forms during the whole first year G
n the war by keeping fifteen notables {
the town locked up week at a time I
y