The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-09-18

were gathered about the great war
maps, however, tracing out the lines
of the conflict frc.n press accounts as
they were received. President wilson
himself invited Acting Secretary
Crowell during the afternoon, and
there is no doubt that he was then
told lust what Gen. Pershing ac-
conplished and what might be ex-
pected 10 deYelop from this blow.
First reports were vague. Ihey
told merely that the American army
had launched an attack around the
st. Mihiel salient, the only sharp
thrust toward the. heart OF France
that remained to the German leaders
to show for their offensive effort since
the war began. It seemed possible
that the objective of the attack was
Metz, just beyond the German bor-
der, on the Moselle river.
Later accounts made it clear, how
ever, that for his first blow Gen. Per
shine had determined to employ the
pincer. tactics Marshal Foch has now
used with repeated success in hurl-
ing the foe back from the Marne and
out of the Picardy and Flanders sa-
lient. The chance lay ready to the
American leaders hand.
Almost due south Of the war
wrecked fortress of Verdun. which
has defed every German effort, the
town Of St Mihiel stood at the apex
of a great enemy wedge driven into
the French lines, and which all but
cut Verdun OFF in the first German
rush toward Paris. Along the east
ern curve of this salient American
troops have stood for months, holding
the lines Americans also were on the
line between Verdun and st. MihleL
/; but st. Mihiel itself was held by the
French, for the fate of Verdun rest
ed upon. that line. S.
Surging forward on twelve mile
front to the east Of st; Mihiel, Per-
shing's mea have rolled over the
complicated defenses Of the enemy
all along the lines and thrust she'll
shod jaw out into the territory be-
hind the enemy forces that hold the
town. From the other side another
American thrust has carried the lines
forward to meet the bulge from the
east, and a grim trap is being drawn
about the enemy forces that remain
in the salient. It was only twenty
miles across the mouth Of the pocket
and the repohts tonight showed that
this had been closed into less than
fifteen miles.
Through that narrowing gap the
German forces in the depth Of the
salient must escape. and to withdraw
without confusion that might turn
the retreat into a rout they must
shake off the French forces, which
are Eattering them all along the st.
Mihiel front.
On the face Of tonight's reports Of
hcers here believed that there was
good promise that Gen. Pershing
might succeed in closing the neck of
the bag and trapping considerable
force. The fact that the enemy was
stin Offering stubborn resistance in st.
Mihiel showed that there was con-
siderable German force still IN the
depths of the trap.
The American attack. as it now
shapes up. is a major action, it is
said, and there is no doubt that the
strongest American forces yet en-
ployed are engaged. Possibly quar-
ter of a million American troops
either are in action or in close re-
serve.
The advance of the eastern jaw
rests on wide base. Reports indi-
cate that it had broken through at
the first rush until Gen. Pershing
could fling out cavalry screens on
both sides to prevent counter at
tacks on his TANKS. The very width
Of his battle line, however, tends to
protect him. and also to give his ini-
tial thrust the power that will carry
it across the road that is the only line
Of retreat for the Germans in ST.
Mihiel
To many officers the action start
ed today is but the forerunner OF
greater blows to come. They antici-
pate that Gen. Pershing will follow
up without delay the clearing out Of
the st. Mihiel salient with actions of
greater scope, probably directed to-
ward the capture Of Metz. With such
advance, it is said, French thrust
from Verdun and along the front be-
tween Verdun and Rheims would go
naturally, and the great movement to
force the enemy out Of all Northern
France and much Of Belgium would
be well under way.
PERSHJNG IN COMMAND