The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-09-19
United Press
War Summary
,50sfh day Of tho war.

,508th day Of tho war.
Metz front-SheIIs from American
long range guns are now dropping in
the center of Metz, our avlators re-
port. Hits have been score on the
Notifications and big factory. The
American main forces are now paraI-
IeIing the Hindenburg line on the
whole of this front, while one patrol
penetrated 800 yards beyond Pagny-
Sur-Moselle, on the west bank of the
MoseiIe, Just across the river from
German territory.
Picardy front-A series OF heavy
German attacks on front of about
eight miles west and southwest Of
Cambria, were repulsed by the Brit
Ish with terrific enemy losses yester-
day afternoon and evening.
Flanders front-Rritish troops I'M
proved their positions yesterday aft
ernoon south and east Of PIoegsteert.
Balkan front-The Bulgarians are
completely defeated and are being
pursued night and day by French,
Greek and Serbian forces, the Ser
bIan war office reports. The allied
advance has now reached a depth Of
more than twelve miles. The Bull
garIans are burning villages and sup
plies, but their retreat is so precipi-
tate that great quantities Of ma
teriaIs and large numbers Of prison
ers are continually falling into the
hands of their pursuers.
First Fort to Fall.
[By J. w. T. Mason, United Press
War Expert
NEW YORK, Sept. 19.-The Ameri-
can front is now only ten miles away
from Fort Kronprinz, the farthest out
lying redoubt protecting Metz on the
western side of the Moselle river,
where General Pershing is now oper-
ating.
Fort Kronprinz is probably destined
to be the first of the Metz strong
holds to fall to the American siege
guns. 1t stands seven miles south
west of Metz in a wooded, rolling
country, where the hills reach
height Of thousand feet and more.
The fort is three miles inside the
German boundary and about two
miles from Core, on the Rindenburg
line The Americans are now slowly
progressing toward Gorze to the west
of the Mad river. Fort Kronprinz
will not come under the direct bonn
bardment of the great destructive
mortar guns until the Americans are
near, if not actually at the German
border
The long range shells which can be
sent into Fort kronprinz from the
present American positions, ten miles
away, have not the enormous explo-
sive power necessary to crumple the
structure It will be necessary there
fore. for the Americans to push for
ward some five miles or more before
they can secure maximum results
from an intensive bombardment.' The
line iteslf is well within
the necessary range to give the Amer
ican gunners a full opportunity for
their deadly work.
Fort Kronprinz, from its hflly emf
nence, exercises commanding fnfiu-
ence upon the western terrain bor-
dering the Moselle to the point where
the Moselle touches French territory.
For this reason it must be put cut
of action before the Americans can
advance along the Moselle more than
three or four miles beyond their
present positions on the west bank.
The allies have not demolished
single modeTn permanent German for
along the west front since
the war began. The Americans may
be destined to win that honor for the
allied cause at Fort Kronprinz.