Republican farmer., 1918-11-15
Torrential Rains Falling Hamper German
 Retreat.
  BAVARIA WANTS TO WITHDRAW ARMY Reaching of Sedan Closes Gap in Southern
 Border.
(By the Associated PresAs

Germany's armistice pleni- potentiaries having entered the French lines under a white flag, last night, met Marshal Foch at 9 o'clock, French time, this morning. From him they will receive the armistice terms of the Allies and the United States. The historic meeting occurred in a little village in the Department of the Aisne. In the meantime, fighting on the western front has not ceased. The western part of Sedan has fallen to American forces. The historic city was entered first by contingents of the Rainbow and First Divisions, after g. thrilling dash northward against the savagely resisting Germans. In mak- 1 ing this advance the Americans wiped out a rather dangerous salient which ] had been formed between their posi- tions and those of the French farther | west.
 The reaching of Sedan definitely closes the gap south of the Belgian border through which the Germans might attempt to withdraw their har- ried columns, now in full retreat from the region between the Disc and the Aisne rivers. It marks the continuation triumph of American arms in the fighting going on since September 28. The Germans, realiz- ing that the advance of the Amerl- cans on Sedan was fatal to their 1 chances of making an orderly retreat eastward into German Lorraine, brought up fresh forces to hold cum ningly constructed Notifications which were erected to bar the progress of Pershing's men. Their efforts were unavailfng. The first American army has taken a very vital role in the mighty offensive which has broken IEermany's strength in eastern France.
 British, French and American troops maintain the pressure which has driven the enemy from, many square miles of French territory in the past week. On the north the British are moving on Maubeuge and Mons and are less than three miles from Maubeuge.
 While the Americans command the situation at Sedan, although they ap- parently do not hold the entire city, the French are pressing on toward Mezieres and have occupied Singly, less than eight miles to the south. Elsewhere on their front the French armies continue the rapid advance of the last three days. At no point are the French more than thirty miles from the Belgian frontier and at most places the distance over which they have to drive the invader is much less.
 Torrential rains have been falling lover the fields of France where the British and French are in close pur- suit of the Germans This rain has hampered the enemy's retreat very seeriously and, while it also has slowed down the Allied advance, the Germans apparently are in grave dan ger of being utterly crushed. The British are seemingly within cannon range of the railroads north and northeast of Hirson, leading into Bel gium. If this is a fact, the Germans must attempt to make good their es- cape through the wooded, rough Ar dennes region. This country is de- void of railroads and has only medi- ocre highways over which the enemy may withdraw his trains of supplies and munitions and his artillery.
 Bavaria has demanded that her army be withdrawn from the western front, it is reported. This action, it is said, is the result of the menace against her southern frontier and the threatening internal conditions in Ba- varia.
 It is reported that the Germans have decided to abandon Ghent, but the Allied entry of the city has not as yet been announced.