The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-09-13

make the roads and the trenches
slippery and footing unsafe
London, Sept. 1.-THE critical mill
tary position of the Germans from the
region west of Cambria southwark to
the st. Gobian massif and around this
strong bastion eastward to the terri
tory east and north of scissors, con-
tinues to hold the eyes of the world \
For the moment the tactical ma
neuvers of the belligerents in ArtOis
and Flanders as well as eastward of
scissors into Champagne, although
they still are of the greatest import,
necessarily continue to take second
place Of interest to those sectors
which are filled with momentous pos
sibilities, where successful move by
the Allies may bring quick change
in the entire German battle front, or
on the contrary determined stand by
the enemy with the large reinforce
ments in man and gun power he is
known to have assembled, may result,
for a time at least, in stalemate in
the game which is being played by the
Allies to crack the already democrat
lied German line.
The heavy rains of the past few
days have turned lowlands through
out the fighting zone into quagmires,
but on those sectors of the high ground
between Cambria and scissors the
storms have not kept the British and
French armies from moving forward.
Nor have they served to lessen the
strength of the enemy's resistance.
London, Sept. 1.-THE French are
making fast progress in closing in
upon. both La Fere and st. Quentin,
important German strOnghOlds along
the southern section of the linden
burg line. They are within three and
half miles of ST. Quentin and with
in two miles of La Fere.
In the region of La Fere the French
are pushing toward the north of the
formidable st. Gobian bastion defend
ing Laon. They have made consid.
cradle impression on this powerful
position by direct pressure in the Ser.
vais sector to the south Of La Fere.
The Servais station was captured, and
by taking Briquettay, farther south,
General Petain's troops have advanced
to within little more than mile of
the town of st. Gobian, on one of the
highest points of the bastion.
st. Gobian Being EncircIed.
Near Laffaux,) around the bend in
the line to the south of the bastion,
the French made further progress to
the north of the town. The Roadway
thus made in encircling the st. Go.
bian positions constituted the most
important feature of the French opera.
tions because of the fact that the OBJ.
jective in this sector is unquestionably
the German base at Laon, the key.
stone of the whole German defensive
system.
A more spectacular advance by the
French armies, however, was effected
further north.
Forge 5 Miles Beyond Canal.
Having forced on Sunday passage
Of the Crozat canal on the line oppo-
site the La Fere-St. Quentin front
Monday witnessed rapid develop
ment of the forward push until by eve
ming advances of we'll toward five
miles beyond the canal had been
scored by the French at some points.
Five towns were taken in this region.
To the north beyond the Somme,
Etreillers and Roupy were taken,
while the French forces in closing in
on La Fere captured the Liez fort,
northeast of Liez, and important land
within two miles of La Fere