Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-09-15

There is no question in the minds OF
these officers that the supreme COM
mander is aiming at the morale OF
the German army by these harassing
tactics as much as he is at the ad'
yancement Of his own battle front
May Continue Offensive.
Destruction OF the enemy army
alter all, they say. is the only certain
way to military victory. General
March, chief OF staff, limited today at
continued offensive by General
pershing on the ST. Mihiel front. Az
his weekly conference with newspa-
per correspondents he said elimna-
ton of the salient furnished better
base "for future operations. No
official reports had come, however, to
show the course General Pershing is
following since the two wings of his
attack, formed junction and closed
the mouth OF the St. Mihel trap on
the enemy.
Berlin reported officially that
Pershins's men were feeling their
way toward "our new lines east of
Combres and northwest of Thiau-
court. Just what line this referred
TO was not clear. 1t appeared prob
able tonight, however, that the line
OF defense upon which the Germans
have fixed will be found we'll to the
north and east of the positions held
by Pershing's outposts at last authen-
tic reports. II is not believed here.
however, that the enemy will yield
control OF the Briey iron fields with
out a stubborn fight and Pershing is
advancing directly toward that inn
portant region.
Pershing's Operations Explained.
Discussing the American operations
of the last two days, General March
said:
"The old St. Mihiel salient was the
FIRST one that was established along
the western front in September, 1914,
and is the last one to 80, the mar
rowest and most angular OF all sail
ents, projecting II miles into the
French line and having important
military bearing because II is across
! 4Mx railway OF the Mouse valley. cut
ting of Verdun from Commercy and
Toul and leaving only one supply line,
the one that goes out to the west
toward Rheims. This salient was
cut off by the American army In less
than two days, parts Of Thursday and
Friday. by quick, sharp blows on
both tanks.
''On the south flank our troops ad-
vanced along l0-mile front between
Nivieray and Fay en- Haye, up
through the undulating plain Of the
Wocvre. On the north flank on an
.ight-mile front. they advanced across
The heights Of the Mouse, a ridge
which Is six miles wide and broken
~ deep, branching ravines. BY the
.vening OF the FIRST day. the south
aank had been driven in FIVE miles
and the north flank three miles. By
evening OF the second day friday,
the salient had been wiped out.
Line Shortened "a Miles.
"The removal OF the salient short
ems the line a miles, restores rail
communication between verdun and
St. Mihiei and Toul and gives very
much better base for future often
sive operations than existed before
this drive began.
at is TO be noted that the German
communique says they withdrew
quietly from this sector in accordance
with 4 carefully arranged plan. but this
does not cover the l3.500 men they
left behind. They constitute the
comba.ant strength Of an entire Ger
4 man division.
'Ail reports from the fighting sec
lions in France indicate the same high
spirit, the lack. of pessimism which
has always characterized our troops
in France, and everyone gets into The