The Washington herald., 1918-10-22

SpfNn ol Erosrcss Siarkrhs-
Everywhere between the Holland
border and the north of Rheims
fresh advances were scored by the
allies in the last twentyfOur hours.
In Northern Belgium the speed OF
the progress has sIackened down
somewhat not because of materially
Increased German resistance, but
because Foch. for the moment is
concentrating on swinging his CEN
ter and right forward to a level
with his left
Tonight the allies stand i'm
mediately in front of the German
stOp-Eap line. the collapse of which
will force them to fall back on the
Antwerp Brussels Mons Maubeuge
HirsOn front
The main points in this stOp-gap
line, the main defense Of which is the
SCheldt and further south the Scheldt
tF.sCaUU Canal. are from north to
south Eecloo. Deynze. Audenarde.
Tournai and Valencienues- Immediate
" west Of Ghent the approaches to
that city are defended by the Ger
mans behind the Dude Caele River
TOday's allied progress. however.
virtually sealed the doom of this line
Eecioo is Unofficially reported in Bel
Eian hands This town lies ten miles
northwest of Ghent-
As for the Dude Gaelic. that river
line - practically rendered Untenable
by the establishment BY the French
today OF a bridEehead at NevelIe. six
and a half miles due west Of Ghent.
Dcywe Near Fall
Deynze. on the ThieIt-Ghent rail-
way nine miles southwest of Ghent.
Lys between this town and Ghent is
the only part OF the river not yet
rea aChcd 10y the allies. But just south
OF Dcynzn the French have crossed
the river and thr,ater to cut behind
the German Dcynze-Gnent front
Further south at Audenardc. thirty
miles west Of Brussels, the British
stand on the east bank Of the Scheldr.
The town is enCirCIed and bridgeheads
have been established on both sides
Of IL
Journal. the rail base thirteen miles
southeast Of Lille on the west bank
OF the SCheIdt Canal has been en-
tered by The British. There. too. the
crossing Of the river is a matter OF
hours
Next and last comes VaIencienncs.
eighteen miles east of DOuai. Haig an
nounced tonight that his troops stand
less than two miles from this impor-
tant base
Advance Near lie Csteau.
II is in this sector that the greatest
advance was registered today. The
British. aided north of lie Cateau by
American units whom Haig has just
congratulated on their magnificent
hghtinE qualities" smashed forward
in A COnyerging drive on ValenCienncs
from the northwest. west and south
west
Tonight their line ran from in front
Of La Sentinelle, a mile south of
VaIenCiennes. to St Amad. six miles
northwest Of VaIenCicnnes. to ROny.
four miles north Of St. Amad and
little more than two miles west of the
SchcIdt. TO Taintignies, southwest of
Journal.
From Landas. where the British
stood last night. to tonight's line is
nearly five miles.
Meanwhile. the Germans, fearing a
break through disaster such as that
between Cambria and St Quentin
which directly led to this vast retreat.
launched a veries Of violent attacks
astride the Cambrai-Am merivel- Bavavi
road in order to keep the allies back
southwest Of EalenCiennes. They were
everywhere repulsed. Further south
the Germans are making frantic ef-
forts to straighten their line between
the Sere and Oise rivers. The French
are smashing hard against the Hin
denburg line. Fully 10000 prisoners
have been taken by the allies in the
last two days.
Miraculous work was lone by the
tanks in crossing the swollen Selle
River. At Romeries the British were
tonight two miles east of Selle
The advance mere was made II spite
Of miserable weather. >
PershfnE's army. which holds what
inst now is the most important part
Of the whole west rrn front. cont nues
to fight its way forward yard 10y yard.
Germans Tighten Lines
German prisoners themselves say
the Americans hold the worst blood
letting sector Of the entire front"
Correspondents with PershinE'S
froops report the Germans Immediate
" after Berlin's first peace offer made
arrangements to evac Iate the whole
Of France. excepting the civilian pop
uIation. but that after President
Wilson'S reply they frightened their
lines, hammered the Americans with
the utmost vigor, and got instructions
to hold at all costs and too inflict the
heaviest possible losses on the Ameri-
cans. while the Germans were read
justing their front between the North
Sea and Verdun."
The French have made successful
raids in Alsace and Lorraine. Those
are the sectors where Germany fears
the worst. The raids may well po=-
tend events Of fsr-reaching signifi-
canoe.
Military critics here assented to
some fantastic statements made yes