Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-10-25
Successful Operations By British at Valenciennes
 Are of Importance.
RETREAT BY HUNS
 IS NOW EXPECTED
Military Men Believe That New Operations of Ma
 .jor Scale Imminent.

Washington, Oct. 24.-Successfuc British operations on the Valencien- nes front took on new importance to officers here today in the light of the diplomatic situation.
 Field Marshal Haig's armies are striking savagely at the hinge of the present German line of resistance and the progress already made is thought to make It certain resumption of the German retirement in Belgium and in France without delay.
 South of the new British wedge the French are cooperatihN with continu- ous pressure against the enemy along the Oise-Serre front, making it diff cult for the German commanders to disengage their forces from this most exposed sector.
 Success of the British effort, how ever, which now seems assured, would compel a precipitate evacuation of the Oise-Serre' salient, 4 is be- lieved, for the communication system of that front would be threatened from the flank and rear
 Reduction of the Oise-Serre salient would mean rectification of the lines probably as far east as the Argonne, observers believe, and coupled with the Franco-American pounding there and on the Mouse, the British advan- ces of today and yesterday possibly foreshadows the retreat of the enemy to the Mouse line.
 If that retirement is delayed much longer, it was said, there is strong possibility that the British working eastward from Valenciennes will gather in prisoners, guns and stores in large numbers later on. In view of the military situation, officers pointed out that every day the allied tactical superiority increases even as their superiority in men and gun power is increasing.
 Since President Wilson has already pointed out to the German authorities that the safeguarding and guarantee ing of that superiority must be the basis of any armistice agreement, proposition the German leaders ac- cepted with the statement that standard of military power in the field' must of necessity govern such terms, it is clear that the conditions of the armistice to be formulated grow increasingly hard on the enemy each day. i
 The advantages in position deriv- ed from the latest British thrust cer- tainly will not be overlooked in esti- mating the situation of the opposing forces.
 More than ever officers are convin- ced that ne woperations on large scale are impending and that general Pershing's two aggressive young arm ies soon will try their mettle again.
 There are many minor happenings that seem to indicate to these ob- servers that a smashing blow is in preparation, although the extent or object of it is only matter of specu- lation.
 Added to the purely military con- alterations that would seem to urge some such renewed effort before win ter comes, there is now the incentive presented by the fact that armistice terms may soon be formulated.
 The readiness of the Germans au- thorities to accept those terms would be greatly increased, it is pointed out, if their line is further broken and that evacuation upon which they are en- gagged rendered increasingly difficult and full of peril.