Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1918-10-23

ON THE WEST FRONT
This has been a most spectacular week for
the Allies. The Hun has lOosed the held he
has held upon the coast of Belgium for four
years and has beat hasty retreat toward the
Rhine. In his retirement the enemy has aban-
doned the cities of Lille and Douai in France.
the submarine bases Ostend and Zeebrugge.
and the port of Bruges in Belgium. The end
of the allied left wing now is in touch with the
Holland frontier and the menace against Eng
land which was present while the Boehe
held the Belgium coast has now been definitely
removed. A considerable portion of noble Bel
GUM has been redeemed from the invader.
Allied troops are within mile of Client.
the most important railroad center in western
Belgium. The Hun resistance is now stiffen-
ing, but the allied line Is still moving ahead.
South of this Flanders front, British and
American troops have Overrun a large part of
the Lille salient. The great city Of Lille was
abandoned by the Germans, and the allied
armies operating within two miles of Val
encennes. Below this sector, Douai also fell
to our allies, and the yalient French have al
most finished the job of cleaning up the La0n
salient. following the evacuation of that city
by the Germans. To the eastward past Rheims
and Nerdun the situation changes much slower.
Here our American boys and the French are
striking at the really vital parts of the Ger
man line. and the resistance the Hun is put
ting up at this point is in direct relation to
the Importance of this part of the line. Be-
hind this front run the lines of communion
tion which supply all of the German line to
the eastward. An allied gain of say ten miles
past the Argonne forest would throw their
tire line into chaotic confusion. German
prisoners captured here say "the Americans
have the worst hlood-letting sector in the en-
tire line. Every foot of ground is to be dis
puted until our retirement from the region
Is completed" Our boys are gaining slowly
and keeping such a pressure against the foe
to cause the German high command to
throw division after division of fresh troops
into the battle to hold this line until their
northern armies can make good their escape.
IL Is reported that fifteen thousand Germans
caught by the rapid allied advance in
Belgium and crossed the Holland frontier TO
escape capture, where they were inturned.
How many prisoners have been captured in
the Flanders offensive has not been announced.
bat will probably exceed $4,000 together
with an enormous egsount Of material
writing the wall is evident from many
things the past week. The city of Lille
evaeuated--not destroyed. Why? Not for
reasons Of sentiment or humanity ttor the
Hun knows nothing of these) but because
Premier Ciementine of France said that Frank
fort would pay the price of any devastation
the bombing Of defenseiess French cities has
been a favorite pastime with Hun aviators.
Now that the allies have definitely assumed
supremacy Of the air and are raidng Ger
man cities. this practice has suddenly been
discontinued. The mailed fist in military
taiiation is The only language the Hun either
mander Of Lille called the citizens Of Lille
together and told them to go out and meet
their friends, the victorious British. out Of
the 100000 souls only 10000 resp0nded--the
rest were dead or had been dep0rted to Ger
many. Every male person over fourteen had
been taken, and thousands Of girls rcquisitioned
fer the most abieet and unspeakable slavery.
The remaining inhabitants of the recovered
parts Of France and Belgium have greeted the
advancing allied armies with delerium of
crowded round the Belgium king and queen,
kissing them and the high British officers,
and carrying them to the city hall.
GERMANY's LAST NOTE
Germany's last note 20 the president Is a
of rather meaningless and high sounding
rhetoric mixed with denial that she has ever
committed autrOeities. In the face of the
most debRsed and systematic friRhtfuiness
the wrthing world has been called upon
10 suffer, Germany rises IN "injured inno-
eense" and has the consuming gall 10 say /;
The German government protests against
the reproneh Of illegal and inhumane actions
made against the Grfman land and forces.
and thereby against the German people. For
the purpose of retreat distractions are always
necessary and they are carried OCT insofar as
are permitted by international law. The Ger
man troops under moot strict instructions
10 spare private property and care for the civil
ian population TO Che best Of their ability.
Where iransgreasions occur. the guilty are
being punished" TO show this statement TO
the of France and Belgium who have
brought forth half-millon children of force
AZ the hands Of brutal Hun soldiers. show this
20 French and Belgian babes with right hands
severed and translxed against barndoors By
bayOnefs. show this 20 TIE nuns and sisters
violated within The ruins Of their eloisteFs,
show this 90 the citizens of the captured reg
ions who have been pillnEed Of every earthly
possession and then hacked 20 pieces hecsas.
they have tried 10 save their wives from rape,
show this TO the victims Of the Lusitania ana
the countless thousands Of women and children
who have gone 10 their watery graves in the
depths Of the sea, THE German government
also further denies eat the German navy
in sinking ships .!as6ever purpeseiy destroyed
hfebaats ~t.s their passengers. And yet
The LES of Argentine we're TO be sunk without
leaving trace" As a document Of irony.
this surely IL supreme. Our president should
answer II with bitter febuke.
Germany declares that she has given orders
TO her submarines to sink no more passenger
vessels, lin order TO avoid anything that might
hamper the work Of peace. The note con-
cludes By calling attention TO the fact that
change has been made in hte German govern
ment by which the people now have voice.
That change has, in the estimation Of all the
allies, been too slight to be given serious
sideration, and we believe the reply Of our
president will so declare.