The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-10-19
sy WILLIAM L. MCPHERSON.

Copyright. '19lS. New York Tribune. Inc.
Dispatches from Holland say that
the hungarian parliament has issued 4
nrnrln,ratiun declaring Hungary's p"-
litical independence OF Austria. although
still recognizing the personal union
due TO tho dual sovereignty or tho pres
on, rnpcror-king. Ii is tho hrSt step
toward complete Hungarian iudcpend-
eucc.
In The breakup OF the HapsburG en-
pire Hungary Is forced 10 consider her
own future And that future can BEST
b.. served NY lIungary'S seeking pr'Ire
as Il separate racial and political unit.
The bond between the two HapshurE
states was purely artIhciaL Anu
though Hungarian statesmen arc much
TO blame for the jinGnistic Ealkai
policy which illuminated in Austria-tlun-
eary's attack OH Serbia. the people "t
hungary can easily become rec"ncllca
10 A dissolution Of the imperitliStic
partnership with Vienna. and an eNts-
tencc hereafter rs diminished nut
purely Magyar state.
hungary furnish the best fchtine
troops in the armies Of the dual mon
archH. Violent Indignation was cx-
pressed in tho hungarian parliament
last June nt the excessive sacrifices
imposed on the Magyar divisions III the
abortivc NuStro-HunEGrlan offensive In
rorthcrn Italy. hungary has been pas
sircly ont Of tho war for several months.
She will now probably try 10 purchase:
easier terms Of submission by follow
ing BuiEaria's example. Defeat will nj
least have realized for her the kossuth
dream Of 100 per cent natlonalsm AMI
independence.
The fruits Of tho allied offensive in
Flanders are being rapidly gathered.
Won Arnims front from Courtrai north
to the coast has been completely
smashed. 4 British naval squadron OH
tered Ostcnd harbor yesterday. Ic"-
brugge. too, has probably been evacuated
by the Germans. 1t is now worthless
to them ms n sea base. ErugcS has also
fullcn. II could not hn defended with
the canals to Ostcnd and Ie"hruggH !"
the hands Of the enemy. Allied paLrolS
entered the city late yesterday after
noon.
The German tide Is setting strongly
out OF Belgium. The German armies
in tho north have been subjected I"
very little pounding since tho LyS val
lev offensive died away last spring.
They got out of the T.ys valley salient
almost unmol"&tod. They ar" getting
out Of the Lille salient with c"mpara-
lively little punishment But their old
lighting spirit has eNIporat"d. They
could not hold Lille or the line Of tho
/ Lys river. There is No reason {" think
that they can hold tho lin" of the
Scheldt. unless winter weather inter.
venes to Snvo them.
! As n means of Fastening the Ger
man movement to tn rear the British
and French attacked again yesterday m
the line Of the Srllc river. cast Of hr
Cateau. Here the Germans have been
standing fast In order to case tn" re-
treat Of their southern armies out Of
the Laon salient. They have been try
ing to cover Gulsc. to the south. md
Valenclenncs. to the north. IIaiE's
forces gained two miles. according t"
early reports. on a line from the niSr
below Bohain Ia n point northeast Of
Le Cateau. a break in this sector VII
further disnrganize tho German retreat
toward Maubcuge and Hirson. The nj