Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-10-04

ed today.
Armentieres was evacuated the same
evening.
NEW YORK, Oct. 3.-(Summary of
European War Cables.)-The evacuation
of Belgium appears to have begun with
a German retreat on the twenty-mile
front between Armentieres and Lens.
which the British are closely following
up.
This retirement already has reached a
maximum depth of two miles. The Ger
mans have given up strongly organized
positions which they had maintained
ever since trench warfare began, and
which rendered a portion of this sector
the most thoroughly stabilized on the
whole northern part of the west front.
The British, pressing forward on this
front, are within about seven miles or
the important French industrial and
communication center of Lille, the civil
ian population of which is already leav-
ing under orders of the Germans. Ar
mentieres has been practically surround
ed and its fall is expected hourly. The
enemy is reported to be burning Ronl-
ers, at the apex of the Anglo-Belgian
wedge farther north, which also has
been nearly encircled.
Field Marshal Haig renewed his at
lacks north of st. Quentin this morning
where yesterday the British nearly er-
fected a break through by smashing q
breach Through the Beaurevoir-Fon-
somme subsidiary defense line. A coun-
ter attack yesterday closed up the no1e
and won back-the village OF Sequehart
for the enemy. Haig apparently is de-
termined not to permit the Germans to
again consolidate their positions there.
The French continue to drive ahead IN
the Champagne and west: OF Hnelms.
ChaIlerange, which formed one OF the
Germans principal defenseS on the
western ring of the Argonne IoreSt' mas
General Berthelot is rapidly clearing
the enemy out of the angle formed by
the Aisne river and the AlSneI ~ an1',
within FIVE miles of Craonne.
In losing Challerange the Germans
lost command of the railway running
Pre-. The line was the main supply line
of the Germans facing the Americans
east of the Argonne.
In withdrawing in the Lille salient the
Germans are endeavoring to get out of
the giant trap which Marshal Foch has
constructed.
While hammering the formidable
Cambrai-Loan line b ythrusts in Elan
ders and from Rheims to the Mouse he
is bending back the German Hanks. me
German supply lines are menaced by the
Z
they be cut the German situation would
be most desperate. 1t would seem, how
ever, that the retirement, unless to a
great depth would he of little ultimate
i avail toward putting off a retreat all
along the line from the North sea to
AlsaCe.
From July Is to September 30 the
allied armies in France and Belgium
captured more than $4,000 prisoners, s.
200 guns and $4,000 machine guns From ON
September 10 TO September 80, 123,0OO
men, 1900 cannon and more than 6,OOO
machine guns were taken.
With Damascus lost to the British,
Turkey is again reported to have unof-
hciaTy approached the allies with pro-
poSals 70 ran aTmiStice-
In Austria the demand for peace Is
assuming a more definite phase. Baron
Won HusSarek, the Austrian premier;
has made an address before the lower
house Of parliament in which he ex-
pressed the belief that efforts to end the
war would be continued by Austria and
+, outlined some of the problems which a
| peace by negotiation would involve.