The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1918-09-17
OPERATION REGARDED
AS ENTERING WEDGE
General Persh;ng Expected to Strike
Still Harder Blows at Germans
Since st. Mihiel Salient Has
Been Wiped Out in Splen-
did Success.

WdSutuS LUu, OSpL, 1o.-SO4upASIS
elimination of the st. Mihiel salient by
General Pershing's army and cooper
ating with French forces, many army
officials here believe, is only the en-
tering wedge of operations Of far
larger scope.
Official dispatches still were delay
ed and the full scope of the victory
won by the Americans in their first
independent action could not be
gagged. 1t was regarded as probable,
however. that General Pershing's men
still were pressing forward to get in
touch with the new liae the enemy
hopes to hol4,
Until definite word comes as to the
line across the mouth of the destroyed
salient which the Americans now hold
officers here will be unable to form
opinions as to the most probable
course future operation in this thea.
ter will take. There is strong belief
however, that the quick reduction ce
the st. Mihiel salient will make the
cornerstone of a great encircling
movement aimed at isolating the Ger
man fortress of Metz, the center butt
tress Of the whole German front from
the North Sea to the Swiss border.
Fine Strategy Used.
The strategic Importance of Gen
eral Pershing's smashing victory
hardly can be overestimated IN the
opinion of many observers. It is Out
of ali proportions to the extent of the
territory regained or the forces en-
ployed, it is said. for the removal Of
this menace in the rear-of the French.
citadel Of Ferdun has released the
French armies from that point TO
Rheims for actire offensive opera
tions. It1a1so has liberated the rail-
way line from verdun to Con1mercy.
~. o,,.s Nancy -eh'o:,. vi Ne -. TIA
UTMOST value to General Pershing and
to the French armies on his left in
supporting future operations along
this front
It was the loss of this railroad,
severed by the Germans in 1914 with
the capture of st. Mihiel, which placed
the Verdun fortress in grayest jeor-
ardy and brought on the battle Of
Werdun. where the Germans met Bit
ter and costly defeat at the hands Of
the French. Ever since then the Ger
man grin on the heights around
yerdun has held the French in this
region and to the east and west OF
the salient chained to defensive oper-
alton. The numerical strength of the
French army was not sufficient to
permit an effort to drive the enemy
c+ without weakening the lines else
where.
Releases Wanv Mem.
General Pershing now has signaliz-
ed the entry of the American army
into the war by smashing it in less
than two days of fighting. Early re-
norts fixed the number of prisoners
taken by thea mericans at 1900 and
-,-c',oh1v represent tfe wreckage 9e
at least three enemy divisions. No
estimate of the war booty captured
has been received Since the new line
across the mouth of the old pocket is
far shorter than the old front
French and American troops hereto
fore held fast to the defense Of the
salient are now available for other
duty.
AS the lines were reported tonight
tharn r~as nothing TO indicate that the
American advance had stopped. The
German official statement says that a
new line had been prepared but the
nature of the country where the
American troops stood late today in
dicated that the German defense po-
sitions must be farther back toward
Metz. where better natural obstacles
are available. 1t was expected here
that American patrols would push for
ward to feel out this line before
new advance is undertaken.
The German statement that the
salient had been evacuated without
serious interference caused much
amusement among officers in view OF
the number of prisoners captured. It
has been estimated that divisions
cs the enemy were in the salient, IT,
cluding those standing guard at its
flanks. Probably not more than four
divisions have at any time been in the