Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-10-11
INVADE GERMANY,
FOCH'S NEXT MOVE;
HUN ARMY IN PERIL
Whole Force IN France and Bel
eium Likely to be Captured,
is Washington View.
GREAT COUP EXPECTED

Washington. Oct. H. The victory
of the Anglo-American forces north OF
st. Quentin may be paving the way for
an early invasion of Germany itself
Striking hints of wholly new enter
prise, directed at the upper Rhine Val
ley, have come from unofficial quarters
in France, and they follow repeated re-
ports from Switzerland that the civil
populations of the Rhine Valley towns
were bcing removed by the German
authorities.
Some officers here regard these re-
ports as highly significant. They give
them particular weight because it now
appears certain that the enemy will be
forced far back all along the front in
Northern France and Belgium within
the next few davs While the contanin
hammcring is kept up IN the north to
pin the German armies there. it might
| lie possible, il was said. TO deliver new
stroke on the Alsace-lorraine front
that might swiftly develop into an in
vasion of Germany itself by way of the
Rhine Valley.
IMMENSE ALLIES VICTORY NEAR.
The wholly unexpected extent of the
German collapse between st. Quentin
and Cambrai, however. may upset any
plans for drive to the Rhine Marshal
loch NAV have planned As the enemy
stands now. with a great gap torn IN
the centre OF the lines that were already
struggling 10 cXtricate themselves and
get back 10 a shorter front. there is even
the possibility Of a crushing and I'M
mediate victory for the Niles
Should the French to the south or the
British to the north also succeed III
breaking through before the Germans
can complete an extensive retirement.
the capture or destruction Of whole
enemy arinN group might be realized
In the opinion Of observers here the
situation at this moment has almost
limitlcsS possibilities, and Marshal Foch
IS virtually certain 10 concentrate every
ounce of power at his command in a effort
TO execute final coup.
INVASION NJ ARMY ESCAPES.
For this reason it does not appear likely
that the Rhine drive plans. II there are
such plans, will develop until the situa-
tior. clears in the north Should the
between Ncrd,n and the North Sea,
however, and establish linc on the
Mouse front many officers are confident
that the centre Of attack will SWING sud
denly Ia a drive into Germany itself
b. the shortest route. the Rhine Valley,
For the moment. attention is cOnccn-
trated on tho startling forward rlISh us
the Anglo-Amencan forces. which have
broken through the great 81. Quentin
Cambria defensive zone. 70 the south
il Is known that the enemy Is straInlng
every effort to hold up the French along
the Suippe Tlvcr. All but one Of the
twenty-four good German divisions on
this front. It has been reported, are now
in the front line Should the French
reach and pass the Aisne as they threaten
to do. the enemy forces in the Laon
pocket apparently would be IN desperate
straits.
Still farther east. to the MellSc and
beyond French and American forces
are striking fiercely ahead, carrying m
even wider menace. and to the north 81
IIlic Belgian. French and Rritlsh'troop>
have driven forward another grim threat
To no part OF the line apparently. can
the hard-prcssed centre turn for rem
forcementS and relief on q scale that
would more than delay the advance At
any point.
MAR GREAT RAILROAD SYSTEM.
The spcarhcad Of the British advance
Was reported ~ LeCateau TODAY. That
would mean that the Anglo American |
Pff0rI mas 1Ofre0 3nCa4 UNIT me norm |
ern end Of the great railway system |
behind The Germans Is only fifteen miles |
distant This lateral trunk line passes |
through NalencicnneS. AVcsnos. and HIr- |
son. reaches the NetIse =; ChaTievillo |
and runs thence through Sedan and On |
to the southeast.
General March. Chief Of STAFF. indi- !
Gated last Saturday that the cutting of |
this greatest single communication Sys-
tenn of the enemy was the main objec- !
tive of the American thrust west of the |
MeIIsc The Americans are within less |
than eighteen miles Of the road now. at |
a point nearly one hundred miles IN an /
airline from Me point where the British |
I threaten II in the north It may be a /
race to cut the road. but the strategic |
effect would he different In each case |
cUT GERMAN FRONT ~ HALF.
Should this line be broken hy the |
americans row moving forward ou both |
sides Of the Meuse. il would cut the |
German western front in half Such a /
move might be considered vitally ne.es-
>ary TO the launching of a blow 81 Inc |
Rhine VALLEY The German troops III /
the no-ti could offer little help ii that /
lateral rail system that has stood like /
q wall behind the whole German front /
IN France ln lost IN them