The Washington herald., 1918-09-09
Teuton Retreat Slackens as
Army Puts Back
Against Wall.
MONTH FAvORS ALLIES
Believe Enemy Is Prepared
to Defend Ground
BEHIND Lines.
ENTENTE ATTACKS CONTINUE
Hais Reports British Troops Now
in German Area Of
Defense.
ATTACKS CONTINUE

AS an illustration of what has
happened within the last thirty
days it SHOULD be said that at
Villevoque the Germans are near
ly thirty-sevcn miles to the east
OF Amicns. On August s they
stood east of Corbic, only little
more than ten miles from that
great allied base.
AS this glorious month OF the
allied triumphal march winds up
the British, French and Americans
are still hammering forward, but
from a clean pursuit the campaign
is changing into new battle, in
which the foe apparently means to
defend every foot in a desperate
delaying combat.
New British Gains Made.
The most graphic description of
what is happening is contained in
Halg's night bulletin:
ION the southern portion OF the
battle front our troops have now en-
tered the area OF the defensive sys-
tenn constructed by US prior to the
German March offensive.
The enemy is offering increased
resistance along these prepared de-
fcnses and sharp fighting has taken
plac.s.todsy at number of points
But the day again brought the Brit
ish new headway. They are press
ing forward and have gained ground
in the direction OF Vermand, Hebe-
court and Epehy."
At Villeveque the British are to-
night only six miles and a quarter
west of st. Quentin. the central bull
wark Of the Germans last wall. "
At st. Emile they are FIVE and a half
miles southwest OF LIE Catelet.
Meanwhile the French have ham
mered their way forward in the re-
sion OF Servais, south of the Oise,
and there they are less than two
miles southwest Of La Fere. another
bastion in the German main line of
resistance.
Further south. where the French
and Americans are driving toward
Laon, the southern hinge of the new
German defense line. a hard struggle
has set in. The Germans launched
some vicious counter thrusts today,
but they were crushed in the making.
Far to the north. in Flanders.
where the German right, based on
Lille, has been keeping reluctant
step with the retreating center and
left, there were also German coun-
ter attacks today. These. too, broke
down. At other points on that
front the British made slight gains.
Nineteen thousand prisoners were
taken by the British alone in the
first week of September, Haig An
nounced tonight.
ReiseI Reported Captured.
Reisel, eight miles southwest Of lie
catelet. is unofficiaIly reported in
British hands. Front dispatches also
state that the Crozat Canal has been
crossed near St. Simon. eight miles
southwest of st. Quentin. St Simon
fell to the French yesterday.
Added indication that 'Ludendorff
deems the hour ripe for a final stand
is seen in his day report, which says:
I'VE are in contact with the enemy
on the line Vermand-St. Simon
Crozat Canal"
A Universal Service staff correspon-
dent with the Americans south of, the
kisne confirms tonight what has been
said in these dispatches for weeks:
THAT the prospective German stand is
to be made backed on the bulwarks
Douai. Cambria, lie Catelet. st. Quen-
tin, La Fere, Laon.
The ensuing week, therefore, has in
store one of three things--one of the
fiercest battles of the war. in which
The Germans are resolved to fight to
the last ditch, principally In the fore
field Of Cambria. St Quentin and La
Fere, the three bulwarks most closely
meuaced: virtual diseontiuuance Of
the allied offensive. with Foch con-
tenting himself with his triunphs OF
this year until he can strike with
fresh. full force next spring: or an
attack on an entirely new sector as,
for instance. the German extreme left
In such an attack Americans may