The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-09-13
attention OF
ALLIES RESTS
ON DRIVE OF
U. s. FORCES
Washington Gets News of Bat
tie From Pershing- Eng
land Cheered by Success of
American Army.
THRUST WAS EXPECTED
tBy Associated Press)

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13.-All inter
est of official Washington today was
| centered on the ST Mihiel salient in
France where General Pershing's
| forces from the first American army
of million and quarter men were
| driving forward in their initial indie
| pendent offensive on the western
| front
Reports from the American COM
mander-in-chief were slow in coming
! through and until after midnight the
| only detailed information as to the
success of American arms was that
! contained in brief news bulletins from
the front. These were confirmed by
General Pershing, who reported that
his troops, assisted by French units.
had broken through the enemy's re-
| sistance in the ST. Mihiel sector and
, advanced at some points to a depth of
five miles. At the time the COM
munlque was sent, the operation still
was in progress, and 5000 prisoners
/ probably not all of those captured,
| had been counted
This was taken here to mean that
in the first day of their rush had gone
! forward on twelve mile front and
were threatening the road over which
i the Germans opposing the French in
the bend Of the salient would have to
pass II they escaped capture or de-
! struction
Foch's Next Move.
On the western side between St.
Mlhlel and Verdun. Franco-American
/ FORCES were steadily pushing back
the enemy and closing the mouth of
the pocket in a pincer movement
| sucn as cleared the Germans from the
A1sne-Marne salient in July
10 observers here. this thrust had
been expected, as it was regarded as
the next logical move by Marshal
foch IN his campaign of ceaselessly
hammerlng the enemy once he had
oeen definitely put upon the defensive.
lts immediate objective was not made
clear. but success in this drive was
expected to free one of the richest
IRON fields of French, which the Ger
mans captured in their first push to-
ward Paris and which they have since
been working.
mere were some observers who be-
lleved that the objective was the
strongly fortified city of Metz not far
over the German border. A frontal
attack upon this position was hardly
10 be expected, but its envelopment
was considered as a logical part of
what was thought to be Marshal Foch's
general plan to outf1ank the enemy in
tnls section as a means of forcing
ms armies out of northern France and
part of Belgium
Inc terrain over which the fight is
progressing is the most difficult on
which American troops have vet met
the enemy. The Germans were en-
trenched upon what is known as the
nils Of Lorraine, which formed
natural defense. But once forced
from these the Germans would find
himself upon the open plains where
defense would be difficult and where
the Americans would find ground to
their liking
GREETED WITH ENTHUSIASM
LONDON, Sept. 13. - The British
public has been anxiously boxing for
another American move but hardly
expected 1t so soon, and the news of
the Franco-AmerIcan attack to pinch
out the st. Mihjel salient, which the
Germans drove into the French line in
September. 1914 and has held ever
since, was received here with the
greatest enthusiasm and, according to
British correspondents at the front
who heard of the good progress the
Americans are making, with equal en-
thusitsm there.
AS big advance in this direction
would soon cause great Inconvenience
TO the enemy before Metz. it is fully
expected that heavy resistance will be
met According to military experts
the German front between Ferdun and
the SWISS frontier for many months
mas been only thinly held with in.
terror troops and comparison to the
remainder of the front to the sea and
one OF the objects General Ludendorff
mad IN shortening the front was to
utilize troops thus obtained to strength
en- this line. General Ludendorff un
doubtedly expected this section of the
pattie line to be the object of an at
tack by the American army. which |
was generally supposed to be some |
where in this neighborhood
Is Considered Milestone,
The assault on the st. Mihiel salient
dominates the news columns of the
newspapers today which feature it
with Dig headlines. The opening blow
in Marshal Foch's great offensive
scheme claims attention in any case, |
but this one has special attraction
as the first stroke of the independent
American army under direct Ameri- |
can command and as such is hailed /
as one of the milestones of the war. |
That the blow thus far has succeed I
ed so well and brought such a large !
haul OF prisoners, affords an opportu- t
nifty for congratulations by the press. ,
Continued On Page Five.l