Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-10-04
Allies Continue to Gain De.
spite German Rein.
fOrcements.
HUNS PUSHED BACK
ALL ALONG LINE
Arme entieres and Lens Taken in Single
elow-Rssuit of Retreat by Germans
May be Loss Of Entire Belgian Coast
-UnIess Gap Between ostsnd and
Lille is Closed kaissr's Army in
North Will Face Disaster.

Paris Oct. 4.-GermAny Is no"
throwing in general reserves into the
battle on the st. Quentin front. This
accounts for the stiffening resistance
there and also along the left flank. and
marks the beginning Of the last phase
Of the great battle.
Notwithstanding counter attacks BY
the enemy the allies continue to make
gains, which, altho local, are none the
less important, for they have q cumuia-
tive effect on the center OF the line.
British armies commanded by Cen
eral Byng and General Rawiinson CON-
tinuer to press the ehemy hard. They
have captured LeCatelet.
General Debeney. east Of st. Quentin.
is slowly pushing the Germans back
in the Disc valley.
Railroads in Striking Distance.
Principal interest along the front to
the east centers about the operations
conducted, by General Gouraud in the
Champagne sector. Reinforced by the
Americans he has pushed forward until
he Is now within six miles Of VOuzieres
junction base of great importance.
and is twenty five miles from the great
railroads connecting the German army
with Germany. He is aloe solidly es-
tablished at Charllerange. which as
sures eventual junction with the Amer
leans on the other side Of the Argonne
forest. He has added about 5000 to the
$4,000 prisoners taken since Sept. rs.
Lens Easily Taken.
Better results have been obtained
on the northern end Of the battle front.
A German retreat over a seventeen
mile front in the Armentieres sector
was accenturated yesterdaE. With the
allies hot on his trail the enemy gave
up Armentieres and Lens with blow.
He is now we'll east Of these two cities
and the mining region OF Bothune is
completely cleared.
As a further result OF the retreat the
enemy now is in peril. Of losing stiie
Belgian coast. Should the allies sue
seed in forcing their way thru the gap
between Ostend and Lille it would
mean disaster to the Germans. Even
should the drive be stopped General
Ludendorff no doubt realizes it would
be difficult to resist the growing
strength Of the allies.
French Crack Hardest Nut. 49,,
In taking Challerange, and the
heights of Croix des Soudans; Gou-
rauds troops have accomplished an-
bther remarkable feat OF arms. There
probably is nothing more formidable
in the Hindenburg line anywhere than
the defenses the Germans had raised
here to defend their access to the region
commanding the valley Of the Aire and
Grand Pre-. s F
] After breaking thru the lines Of
trenches and barbed wire Ave miles
deep. General Gouraud attacked this
position and carried 1t against REIN
forced troops that counter-attacked d
him three times in vain.
The possession OF Challerange and
Croix des Soudans by the French ser /.
iously compromises the position OF
whatever German troops remain In the
forest Of Argonne and in the region
north Of Orfeuil
NO longer Is there an outlet to tho
west from the Argonne region open
to the>enemy and the American ad-
vance along the eastern edge Of the
forest virtually closes the eastern exit
from the Grand Pie gap The only
railroad line available to the troops In
the wooded region north Of Orfeuil Is
now under the fire Of French guns. I,