Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-10-16
Lille Salient Gradually Being
Enmeshed and Is About Due
for Action of General Foch's
Favorite Pincers.
AMERICANS MENACE
ENTIRE GERMAN LINE
Pershing'S Men in Conjunction
With Their French Allies
DoggedIy Forge Forward to
Bar Retreat to Germany,
undated War lead by the Associated
prpaaN

ID
The entente forces in Belgium and
France continue successfully to drive
the enemy before them. In Belgian
Flanders the advance is somewhat
rapid. but on nj! the sectors in France.
the Germans are fighting with des-s
peration to hold back their foes
The great wedge that Is being
driven by the Belgian. British and
French troops in Flanders now
threatens seriously the tenure by the
enemy of many positions in north
Belgium from the Lys river to the,
sea, including his submarine and other
bases along the coast. while to the
south the Lille salient gradually is
being enmeshed and doubtless soon
will receive attention from the pincers
which are being oiled for the task Of
reclaiming this important tract Of ter
ritorY as far as Valenciennes for
France.
Threaten Entire Line.
Meanwhile the French and Ameri-
can forces are struggling valiently
forward in their drive northward
from the Champagne region into the
country over which the Germans must
effect a retirement to their own Dor,
der in the event of final debaefe.
AS has been the case ALWAYS since the
offensive began, the Germans are vtg-
orously defending their positions US
ing innumerable machine gun detach-
ments in endeavors TO hold their
ground. Particularly vicious are the
counter thrusts that the Americans
are being compalled 10 srs.ain east
and west Of the u Meuae where the
entire enemy front Is threatened with
! immediate collapse should General
Liggett's men crash through the line
for material gains.
Nevertheless, both the Americans
and French are demanding that their
arms be served. and on various Sec
tors they are meeting with success. In
the ROMANCE sector further gains
have been made by the Americans IN
face of artillery and machine gun
fire and the natural defenses and.
great system of wire entanglements
which had to be negotiated. Bad
weather has fallen over the sector.
and the airmen have been unable to
give their usual brilliant assistance
to the maneuvers.
Close I'm on Rethel.
To the west the French are slowly
closing in upon Rethel OH their way
to Mezieres. being only two miles dts
tant from the town. West of Grand
Pre- they have effected further CROSSE
ings of the Aisne. About 500 Ger
mans were made prisoner In this
fighting.
In Flanders the British have taken
the important railway center of
Menin. Thourout has fallen and the
Thourout- Courtrai railroad has al
| most been won Numerous towns have
been recaptured by the allied forces
and large numbers of prisoners have
been taken Many guns also have
| fallen into the hands of the allies. This
capture of Thourout completely out
| flanks the German submarine base at
Ostend and brings the allied troopa
within ten miles of Bruges. whence
| the railroad line runs northward to.
Zeebrugge, Germany's other U-boat
base in the North sea.
| Reports are to the effect that the
Germans are withdrawing what Is left
of their forces in the north, both
naval and military
| In Albania the italians have occu-
| pied the Austrian naval base Of Du-.
razzo on the Adriatic. while In Serbia
| the allied forces are continuing TO
press the enemy troops north Of Nish.