The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-09-03
From Ypres to Peronne the
Enemy Is Withdrawing
Under Pressure
APPEARS ON VERGE
OF REAL DISASTER
Haig's Victory South of
Scarpe Prevents An
Orderly ,Witdrawel
CIV Associated Press.l

On a. front of virtually fifty miles,
from just below Ypres to a point
near PeTonns, on the Sonlme, the
German armies ara in retreat.
This retrograde movement is not
| a voluntary one on the part of the
enemy, but has been forced by the
series of unremitting hammer blows
inflicted by Marshal. Foch in the
past six or seven weeks. It has now
tory by Marshal Haig yesterday In
breaking through defensive lines
protecting the railway centers' OF
Douai and Cambrai and threatening
to outflank the main Hindenburg
line south to st. Quentin.
Already the taking of 10000 pris-
oners by the British in their advance
is reported and the German casual
ties in killed and wounded are de-
clared to have been notably high as
their thickly massed forces felt the
weight OF the British blow.
On Verge of Disaster.
So pronounced and so speedy is
the German retirement that it seems
as If the enemy, If he has not met
with disaster, Is perilously on the
verge of one.
In what appears like an effect to
escape in time. the scope of the
German retirement, which had been
proceeding somewhat leisurely north
and south OF the Somme, has been
markedly accumulated north OF that
river This morning the important
French coal mining city Of Lens at
the gates Of which the British
pounded vainly virtually all last
year, has been evacuated, the Brit
ish moving in.
To the north in Flanders, the re-
treat is continuing and the British
have further closed up the Lys sa-
lent by taking possession of Wul-
verghem, two miles south of Kem-
mel.
South of Lens the German appar-
emily are acknowledging themselves
beaten on the Queant- -Droucourt line,
where Haig's break through was ef-
fected, and are retreating in this
vitality Importance sector without at
tempting a counter drive upon the
victorious British.
Still further south the retirement
ment has resulted in the evacuation
of areas three to four miles deep
on both sides of the Bapaume- Cam
brai road, the British taking town
after town in this area in their
stead advance.
Although the German command
must have been expecting an attack
on the Hindenburg switch line,
which the British had closely ap-
preached In their earlier advances, it
apparently was not expected at the
moment. The Germans seem to
have been surprised at the. quick
ness with which Haig's Canadians
and other British forces, after fight
ing their way up to, the line, organ
lied a crushing attack against the
line itself. This morning alone, on
the twenty mile front where the
British are mainly engaged, they are
reported to have advanced no less
than a maximum OF four miles. Tids
seems to emphasize the clearness of
lures of prisoners, points to the
demoralized of the German forces
in this area.
Effect OF Blow.
1t is too early to estimate with
any degree of accuracy what effec.
the present big drive of the allies
may ultimately produce. The fall Of
Douai and Cambria, which now
seems not lrnprooa Die, in the near
future, would put Ehe entire German
line out OF joint between the North
sea and Rheims, however, and would
be likely to fosce the evacuation OF
great part of Northern france now
occupied by tllG Germans.
Operations by the French and Am
er!eans in the south may bs counted
OIL to work toward SUCH result.
There is q, hint in today's dispatches /
that some developments 0f import
ance is impending on the saUsr.st-1
ftgEt, where the left flank Of The
Eindenburg line r under Franco
American pressure.
Americans Advance.