Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-10-11
ALLIES HERD|NG FOE
ST|NG|NGLASH
Germans Fall Back Toward
Their Own Border in
All Directions.
F0CH GAINS rs MILES

BY the Associated Press.
The grip of the Germans on north
ern France has been loosened and the
process of herding them back to their
borders is proceeding at an increas-
ingly rapid pace under the allied lash
Already, since the beginning Of the
July offensive, which initiated the
loosening process, the allies have
pushed the enemy back a maximum
of forty-hve miles, from the Ancre
near Albert to the tip of the present
Anglo-American wedge at LIE Cateau.
A scant twenty-five miles more
will bring them on this line to the
Belgian frontier south of Maubeuge.
But long before that point is reached
the pressure on all sides if continued
at the present rate, will have resulted
in the clearing of the enemy from
virtually all French territory and
great part of Belgian soil.
Now in General Retreat.
The Germans, indeed. are already
carrying out a general retreat. But it
is a retreat under pressure and, al
though being skilfully conducted. is
bound to cost them heavily in men and
material.
Gen. Ludendorff patiently has been
DESTROYS of withdrawing to shorter
line, where he could reorganize his
forces, but the steady, unrelenting
pressure which Marshal Foch has ap-
piled all along the front has made it
impossible for him to detach himself
for such an operation. He cannot
break contact with his adversary, as
he would like to do, and consequently
is obliged to fall back slowly, fight
ing hard and losing heavily in his
backward course.
Widening Great Wedge.
Last nights developments and those
of today along the wide battle front
only served to accentuate the extent
of the German retreat and the ac-
celebration of it's pace. The official re-
ports reveal the British and the Amer
leans cooperating with them etill
widening the great wedge in the Ger
man line southeast of Cambria, a
process in which the French to the
south are aiding notably.
Gen. Petain's troops have pushed
to the River Disc to point almost
join up with the British and Ameri-
cans, who are rapidly nearing the
important railway junction Of Was
slgny, south and east of LIE Cateau.
Terrific Pressure Of French.
This sensational drive in the center
is matched in efficiency, however, by
the terrific pressure of the French
armies south of Laon and along the
line north of the Aisne and in the
Champagne. This movement, in con-
junction with the drive to the north,
is, according to today's advices, MAX
ing it inevitable that the Germans re-
tire from Laon and the great st. Go
balm massif. The withdrawal, indeed,
appears to be under way here as else
where.
The Americans are with the French
in applying the pressure in the Cham
payne, and the American LIST Army in
its drive IN the Argonne area has Joined
hands with Gen. Petain's troops at
Grand Pre-. Farther east the strong
line on which the Germans stood to
resist the American drive west Of the
Mouse is trembling under the blows
of Gen. Pershing's troops, and further
advances by the American forces are
looked for here.
On Northern End of Line.
On the far northern end of the battle
line the Anglo-Belgian forces are ap-
parently being held in leash to thrust
again for a closing of the pocket in
which Douai now is inclosed, together
Lille. as soon as the northeasterly
thrust of the British LIST, Sd and 4th
armies has progressed to the desired
point
The Germans in the Lens area, how
ever. are not waiting for this trap to
be sprung, and are continuing their
withdrawal from that part of the.
pocket. which is the one most immeN
diately threatened. Battlefront reports
TO eynentanov fhora fIot