Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-09-17
FOCH PLANS TO STRIKE SUPREME BLO\ w
Now Ready to Hit
Foe Line From Sea
to Swiss Frontier

to SWlSS L rOnLlef
Berlin. Sept. II, via London.
The artillery duel in the reg
! ion OF HaVrincOurt, southwest
of Cambrai yesterday increased
to great intensity, says the OF
ficial statement issued today by
! the German war Office.
London. Sept. l7.-LaSt night
Witnessed further closing in
of the British lines northwest
of St. Quentin. Field Marshal
Haig in his report today an
nOunced that the British had
made progress i'm this region in
the direction OF lie VergUieE.
With the British Army in France,
Sept. II. - (By the Associated
Press. THE advance of the British
yesterday in Flanders was pressed
along the Ypres-Menin road and
carried the British to within mile
of Hoge
(By the Associated Press.)
| FOch Plans Mighty Drive.
1t seems probable that new and
mighty blow against the Teutonic
armies in France will be the allies
answer to the peace proposal voic-
ed by Austria on behalf OF the CEN
trail powers.
From the sea to the Swiss from
tier there is a tension which may
forbode another development OF
Marshal Foch's mastery offensive
All along this battle line there have
been local actions by which the al
lies have tried out the German posi-
tions and gained points of vantage
from which to launch their next as
sault
Americans Ready.
General Pershing's First Ameri-
can army, standing before the fort
ress of Metz, has Strengthened its
lines across the base of the St Mi
hiel salient 1t is known that there
, is a heavy concentration of men in
this region and it is expected the
Americans will not give the enemy
much time to recuperate before de-
livering a new blow against this
bastion of the German positions on
the western front
In the Vosges region there Is
great activity by the enemy, who
/, evidently expects the American leg
ions there to attack the German
lines to west of the Rhine. In this
sector of the battle front the Amer
lean are standing on German soil
and an assault there would, if sue
; cessful, carry the war nearer to the
heart of Germany than elsewhere
along the linesEsThe country to be
ktraversed by an attacking army,
however, is very rough and lends
itself admirably to defensive oper-
ations.
Where VIII Blow Fall.
Marshal Foch, however, may
elect to strike to the west Of Yer
dun where the German positions
have been seriously shaken by the
Americans AT St Mihiel. An attack
from Reims to Verdun was expect
ed three weeks ago, after the Brit
ish and French advance in Picardy
land Santerre had slowed down. 1t
would have far-reaChing effects, If
ii should succeed, and probably
would compel a German retreat
: from the region north of Reims as
% well as a relocation of the enemy 8
r. lines around Verdun, which is a
6tNLDl iIlGsl CtEllID W W NlLal ~ AllH
enemy's position in eastern France.
5 In the Flanders area the British
} have nearly reached the lines they
held when the Germans launched
their attack in April on each side
of Armentieres. This. too, is Sec
tor where an allied offensive may
2 be expected.
From Ypres to Reims the British
= and French are carrying out local
engagements with success. Be
tween Lens and Ypres the British
have pushed forward slightly
5 while northwest of St Quentin
they are pressing toward Lever
guir. which is on high ground and
offers a good starting point for a
thanking movement north OF s.
% Quentin.
, FOrerunner Of Big Smash!
Aerial activity in the region
from Laon TO Metz continued and
may be the fOrerunner Of large
scale infantry operations on this
! front. French aviators have ac-
counted for Is captive balloons
and Il enemy airplaHes, while al
lied bombing squadrons have been
drenchiug enemy railway functions
and other targets effectively
German artillery fire against the
new American front southwest of
Metz is very strong The belief
that the enemy is digging in in the
Hindenburg line is strengthened
by the fact that his heavy artillery
bombaTdment has not been follow
ed by infantry attacks. This also
is borne out by the report that the
Germans are burning towns be
tween Metz and the American
front
REV. HUGHES GOES TO FRANCE