Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1918-10-19

nj Robert J.. Billiard, today repulscd
a German raid on their positions.
Berlin Asks thnt There be No Bonn
bardmcnt.
The German government has pro-
posed to France that in common vii In
her allies France undertake to re-
frain from bombarding the large
towns of Northern France and enter
into an agreement with Germany to
permit. at any rate. Il portion of the
population OF Nalcncicnncs to pass
into the French lines, says an official
statement from Berlin.
The Bclin government in making
this proposal, represented itself as
unable to prevent the eastward flight
of the population Of Nalcncicnncs,
owing to their fears that the allies
would lombard the town. The pros
posaI was made through the Swiss
government.
between the Disc and the Argonnc
the French are pressing the enemy
hard and giving him little chance to
dig in should he desire to do SO.
East Of the Disc the French are with
in Il half mile of the Scrrc along
most of its length, and have advanc-
cd between five and six miles from
Laon. Even the Aisnc is fast being
lost TO the enemy as Il means of de-
Tense. The French now threaten Re-
thcl, having captured Nantcuil-Sur-
AiSnc, two and onc-half miles west
of Rethel, and about the same dis
tancC of Chateau Porcicn.
Keeping step with the American
operations east Of the Argonnc, the
French are moving fodward west of
the forest. West Of Grand Pre-. Gen
cral Gouraud has moved north of
the Aisnc and taken the towns Of
Oily and TcrmcS, Strengthening out
Il bulge in the allied line.
americans Widen Breach in Kricm-
hildc Line.
With the Amcican Army North
west of Ncrduun, October | 5 (S:30
L. lin the face Of the most stub
born resistance conceivable, includ-
ing literally hundreds of machine
gun nests, the Americans advanced
again today and widcncd the breach
in the Kricmhildc line.
The Germans heavily Shclled the
counter and left center OF the Amer
lean line and desperate counterut-
lacks were carried out. These coun-
tcrattacks failed
The Americans, who captured hill
20? and penetrated the strong wire
defcnscs between l4andrcs-ct-St.
Georges and st. Georges, have pass
ed st. Juvin.
The American gains in general
were accomplished through pursu-
ance Of the strategic policy OF sur
rounding the objcctivcs rather than
storming them. The machine gun
filled woods and heights lying in the
path of the American advance were
taken for the most part by going
around them OH the left and right
and joining forces again on tho north
side and clearing up the areas thus
cncircled.
Americans Think They Must Strnrc
Enemy.
President Wilson's answer to the
Germans was greeted unanimously
by the men as Il document of SUI
prcmc craftsmanship, completely
filling the bill and imposing on the
Germans the humiliation and abnc-
cation absolutely necessary. 1t scrv-
ed, however, to increase the doubts
whether the enemy will in last analy-
sis back down completely and to
steel every one TO fight on Indefinite
ly and impose upon Germany abso-
lutte defeat.
Perhaps the most interesting de-
velopmcnt Of the day was the fact
that the Americans, and the Ger
mans, too, fought with Il norccncSs
and tcnacity utterly belying any be-
lief that their part in peace is Il mat
ter of the near future. The Amcri-
cans are almost unanimous that the
German proposals arc inSinccre, and
that, whether sincere or not, the
enemy must be severely punished.
Many with whom the correspondent
talked during tour Of the most ac-
tive portions of the front seemed to
take the attitude that they had per-
haps only 4 little time in which to
strafc the enemy and wanted to make
tho most Of it.
Despite the rain which streamed
down all day from low-hanging
clouds, the American aviation corps
again performed wonderful work in
assisting tho infantry, flying con-
stantly at an altitude below 600 me-
tors. The aviators efficiently directed
battery work, made "Reminiscences,
kept the infantry in liaison with
headquarters and brought in valua-
BILE information.
The artillery OF both sides was ac-
tive throughout the day, the Ameri-
can guns predominating in intensity
Of fire. Several positions stubbornly
held by the Germans were reduced
before the close OF the day, and
countless wire hindrances were cut
or otherwise destroyed by shells of
all calibers. VIRTUALLY every pris-
noer taken by the Americans today.
and there were several hundred Of
them, was Il machine gunner.
The days fighting began early,
when the center moved forward and
cncirclcd the difficult position at hill
oSS from which q oai,inn Hro