The Robesonian., 1918-08-22
VOL. IXL
TIDE OF DEFEAT STILL
sURGES AGAINST GERMANS
Entire German Front From Ypres to
scissors More Seriously Menaced
Than BefOre-French Have Captur-
ed Important Town of Lassigny and
Have Liberated Numerous Villages.

The Associated Press gave this
morning the following summary of
the war news:
The tide of defeat still surges heavi-
ly against the German arrdies in
France and Flanders. On four i'm
port sectors French and British arms
again have been served, and the en-
tire German front from Ypres. in
Belgium, to scissors ,on the Aisne.
now is more seriously menaced than
before.
French troops of General Mangin,
operating from the region two miles
northwest of scissors to the Disc riv-
er, and those of General Humbert
fighting between the Disc and Matz
have materially pushed forward their
fronts, bringing them to positions
which threaten to compel the imme-
diate evacuation of the entire Somme-
Disc salient from Bray to Noyon.
Farther to the north between Albert
and Arras, Field Marshal Haig has
followed up his successes of previous
days by new offensive over a front
of about ten miles and driven for
ward his troops for splendid gains
over the entire line, capturing a num-
Der of villages, taking prisoners and
guns and inflicting heavy casualties
on the enemy.
Still farther north, in the famous
Lys sector, a general eastward ad
vance on a front of more than -four
miles has been made by the British
who have brought their positions 40
preciably nearer the old 1916 battle
line running east of Armentieres.
Numerous additional villages hav,
been liberated by the French north
east of scissors and positions hav,
been captured on both sides ~of tn,
Disc river which seemingly make un
tenable for Occupation by the enem,
the important town of Noyon, whicl
is now outflanked on the southeas
and dominated by the French gun
from the south and west. On tn
south the French are standing in Sem
pigny, mile and half distant, Will
on the west they have captured tn
important pivotal town Of Lassigny
the key position to Noyon and tn
plains to the north.
With the latest advances by tn
French east of the Disc there ha
come under the range of Genera
Mangin's guns the broad gauge rail
way line leading from Noyon east
ward to La Fere-the sole remaining
line, except for two narrow gaug
roads, over which the enemy ma
transport his men and supplies be
yond the range of the French art
lery.
At last accounts, Haig was sti
pressing forward on the heels of tn
Germans between Albert and Ar: al
with tanks innumerable clearing tn
way for the infantry and machine gur
and the field artillery which was keef
ing close up to the advance Th
Arras-Albert railway already has bee
crossed by the British east of Boi:
leux-St. Marne and Mercatel an
south of these towns the new lir
has been pressed eastward in col
formity.
On the Lys salient the German
have delivered a violent counter a
tack in an endeavor to recoup in pa
the losses they have sustained.
Their efforts. however, We're frui
less for the British everywhere wit
stood their assaults and pushed ba(
the enemy beyond the points of h
departure
What is to be the effect of the a
lied drives along the 120-mile bat:
line from Ypres to Scissors cam
be foretold at present, but it seen
highly probable that this entire fro
soon must be re-aligned. This pa
ticular menace to the Germans, ASH
from that in the territory betwe
he Somme and the Disc, appears
be on the sector along the Vesle riv
from Scissors tc Rheims which frc
the war maps looks to be untenab
Even the Aisne and the Chemir-de
Danes do not appear to be any t
safe for a defense line of Genel
Mangin presses much further nor:
east of Soiccopc