The Sentinel=record., 1918-09-17

Washington, Sept 16-Another blow aeainst the German lines as an answer Ito the peace proposal of the Central Powers is expected momentarily by
 military officials here
 The point of the expected attack is a
 matter of wide speculation by officers
 Several simultaneous attacks will be
 delivered, t is thought, with the Flan- ders front, the French operations about
 LaFere directed at Laon and the new
 American front across the mouth of
 the old St Mihiel salient as the logical positions from which Marshal Foch
 would strike.
 It has been significant to some off,
 ce:s that the British have not pressed
 very heavily on the front between
 YIres and Douai. North of Ypres there
 has been oly one minor operation by
 the Belgiane since the allied counter offensive began British attention has
 been concentrated to a large extent on clearing up to the Douai -Cambrai-St Buertin front and many observers here believe the lines have been straight ened sufficiently along this sector now for a new movement to the north It has been noted. however that the Brit ish artillery has been pounding the German lines west of Cambrai with es- pecial vigor recently which may be theI prelude to a direct drive for the cap-I ture of that city
 Since the French are slowly makingl their way to a flanking position which
 would force the Germans to withdraw from the Chemin-des-Dames lines protecting I.aon, some officers believe Ia new movement along the Aisne andI probably extending to the east of Rheims k to he anticipated It isl pointed out that should the Germans he forced to withdraw from the Chem in-des Danes. swift advance from the Rheims front would tend 10 out flank the whole enemy line from that point to Verdun
 There is no information of an off, cial character as 10 General Pershing's present operations. The greatest re- ! tiscence apparently is being enforced
 on press correspondents in discussing
 tactical disposition Of the American army at this time and to observers lhere this suggests that preparations i for a new advance are well under way The logical objective, it Is held. woulf l be the occupation of the Briey iron fields and an effort to encircle Metz from the west If General Pershing is , moving toward that goal, now, it is said. a joint attack by his army and the French army holding the Verdun l front would be a probable develop
 ment
 l Such an action would be over a very ! extended front, however and some | further reconnaissance of the enemy's ,. positions on the immediate American I front may be necessary before 1t can
 be taken
 Tactics employed by General PersA- [; ing in cleaning up the St. Mihiel sa- 1 lient in the view of officers here, show that the American commander has de- I termined that maximum speed is es~ sential to military success. He hurled I forward his troops last week at an un- 1 precedented pace and it was this rush - which swept the German defenders off
 jthelr feet and gave them no oppor- , tunity for even an oreanized reaf T guard action
 | It is therefore argued that General yj Pershing may be expected to press his :, victory without delay and to rush Inc [ enemy iH his new lines as soon as :, communication systems can be organ fized across the captured territory,