The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-08-26

Marshal Hays forces swung forward
as far as Longueval in their advances
north of the Somme.
Can't Stop, Haig's Men.
(By the Associated Press.)
RelentIessly the British are pushing
the Germans back to the Hindenburg
line. Fresh enemy troops thrown into
the desperate battles along the thirty
mile front have failed to stop the men
of Field Marshal Haig's command.
Bapaume is surrounded on three
sides, and the fall Of this strategic road
apparently is close at hand. On the
north the British are reported to be
near the Hindenburg line at Bulie-
court, the scene of sanguinary combats
in the spring of 1917. The enemy has
been driven from the high ground be-
tween the Ancre and the Somme and
toward Perenne.
May Be Withdrawing From Vesie.
French pressure continues all along
the southern wing to scissors. Be
tween the Disc and the Aisne, Cen
eral Mangin is pressing steadily to-
ward the western extremity of the
Chemin- Unconfirmed re-
ports have been received in the Amer
lean lines along the Vesle that the
enemy is withdrawing north OF that
ri !er toward the Aisne.
E.emy forces are putting UP vio-
lent resistance against the British, but
/ to no avail. Since last Wednesday,
they have been driven eastward an av-
erage of more than four miles on the
thirty mile front. The greatest allied
gains has been six miles toward Ba
pat e., one of the most important
points in the salient. The British mo-
mentum apparently increases in spite
of 49, strong efforts of the Germans
to the oncoming rush of tanks,
cavalry; and infantry. More than H.
900 German prisoners already have
been counted and the enemy losses in
prisoners are said to be in excess of
the British casualties. unefficially
the number of prisoners is placed at
10000.
Germans Pushed From High Ground.
On most of the front the British
have pushed the Germans from the
high ground SO necessary for defense.
Also, the enemy has been forced out
of much of the crater country"
| marking the old Somme battlefield of
1915. This has opened up new OPP
| portunities for the tanks and cavalry.
Allied airplanes- continuously bomb
| troop concentrations and strategic
centers behind the German lines.
The Germans held onto Bapaume
turnout Sunday in heavy fighting.
now in Avesnes, a suburb one-half
mile to the west, have reached Fav-
reuil, two miles to the north and are
reported in Thilloy, one mile and a
half south-southwest. The fall of
Bray, which came after the capture
| of Albert, has enabled the British to
press on eastward and they are re-
| ported in Suzanne, two miles to the
east, and at the edge of the swamp
country which lines the Somrne to
close to Peronne.
Threatens Hindenburg Line.
If the enemy has counted on gain
ing the Hindenburg line and there
finding secure positions from which
to beat off allied attacks, his plans
may be upset by the rapidly with
which the British have progressed to-
ward Bullecourt. Once inside the
Hindenburg defenses around Bulle-
court, the British have good path to-
ward Cambria.
I North from scissors, past Noyon to
| Roye, the French are hammering the
Germans with their artillery. Except
On the vital sector, north of scissors,
the infantry has been inactive. East
of Bagneux, General Mangin has cap
tured four hundred prisoners in sue
cessful thrust eastward. 1t is not i'm
probable. in view of the reports of an
fenemy retirement north of the Vesle,
| that the Germans are holding here in
order to protect the flank of the with
| drawal movement between Scissors
| and Rheims.
| Premier Clemenceau says the for
tunes OF the war has been definitely
decided owing to the victories of the
! last six weeks. Austro-Hungarian
Eseldiers have been taken prisoners by
the allies at two different points on the
main battle line but there are no in
tiicationss that Austrian aid for the
battered German divisions is in great
force. Comparatively heavy fighting
is taking place in Albania Vienna
says that Austrian troops have crossed
the Semeni near the Adriatic an6
claims successes also in the center and
on the enemy left. Rome reports the
Irepulse of Austrian attacks agains
advance posts along the Semeni