The Sentinel=record., 1918-10-20
FRENCH ARMY KEEP
 FIGHTING PERIODICALLY
KEEP UP THEIR ATTACKS ON THe GERMANS REGARDLESS OF
 THEIR LONG SIEGE.

With the French Army in France | IOct l9-Thc firet French army m- | der General Debcney. after months of severe campaigning is furnishing one
 of the best examples of the endurance ! of the heroic French troops in the fighting on the Disc COutinuing theig pressure on the German lines during the night General Debcueys troops completed the conquest of the ter- ritory west Of the canal from u3nuap- pes 10 Noyales and this morning were overcoming stout resistance on this most difficult ground
 The cGrmans disputing every inch .of ground in this region in order lu protect the retreat of their armies lressed by the British are favored ny nature The ground is well adapted to the artificial floods to which they are resorting ana to ambushes that are encountered all along the front'
 Wherever the enemy retrcs here he is forced back against his wall of de- fense, these positions being essential 10 the easy withdrawal of troops and material further north
 On the front Of the armies of Gen eral Garand and General Pershing tha fighting also goes on liegcelN the en cmy ceding ground only in the last extremity while completing the with JraVaI of his lines westward Gour- auds men gained important successes yesterday east of the Aisue and are ad- yancing east of Vouziers
 The German retreat, so far as tine ueh command is able To central it, is a movement inverse to that of the in- yasion of 1911 when German columns piyotine in fortresses Of Metz and wheeling 10 the left came around Bel gium in a movement like that of an opening fan The fan k closing thls time instead Of opening and it is hn-- ing on a crowded pivot while the col
 mns representing the ribs of the fan, instead of pursuing the adversary, are being pursued, pushed bu5tIea and harassed
 Consequently the reeulgwity with which the fan was opened al the be- ginning of the war and which, accord ing 10 the crown prince was fresh aud joyous" is absent in the inverse movement
 Marshal Foch withholds from l.u- dendorlf he leisure to operate his elastic retreat at will The enemy is able to select only positions where re- sistance is vital to the success of the retiring movement These positions are for the moment on the rieht wings in sront of Gouaud and Pershing and in the region of the Disc in front of bt0cucy
 The most competent authorities ad- init the German retreat has thus far been accomplished in masterly fash ion The question whether the Ger mans will be able to hold the vital points along the Aisne and Disc until they get out of preca.ious situations elsewhere is becoming more and more .acute. Yet predictions of the i'm mediate crumbing of the German line anywhere are considered premature
 The Germans now occupy north Of the Ai1ne and the Serra their second line of retirement. called the "Hun4- ing position, which rests ts right up on the valley of the Oise and its left Urou tlc hilly forest region at Grand Pre- gap now vigorously attacbcl oy GourJud and pcrshine
 Work ou this line was begun in ike spring of 1917 and Was continued uu- tl November. Then it was suspended
 until September of this year, when it was resumed with feverish haste with the aid of prsonts %l Vpr Its length is about 75 miles. four iitths 0. il behind water courses that may easily be swelled by articiciaI mloCds so as to constitute formidable obsta- tlcs The enemy may he expected 10 make desperate stand here and 10 hold out. if possible, until his armies in Belgium and French Flanders arc withdrawn
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