Evening star., 1918-08-25
BY OLIVER OWEN KUHN.

o4 O&A Gk wv &AN AS$Ns
Allied armies on the western
front are striking terror in the
heart of Germany. This is evil
denced among soldiers and
among civilians at home. Only
the junker governmental clique
whistle in the dark. Under the
hammering blows of Marshal
l'och's legions the Teutonic
armies are consistently and
steadily giving way. Their
counter attacks in the hope OF
staying the allied advance in
Picardy are futile. There is
every indication that Gen. Foch
will go as far as he desires at
the moment. bearing in mind all
the while the military exigen-
cies of the situation.
~
Already German peoples are prepar-
ing for allied invasion That the
TeUtonic neces-
Germans Expect sity is writ large
AM. is indicated by
eo Ansesion. the fact that al
ready the German command is pre-
pairing line of positions OH the
River Meuse, in Belgium, ninety
miles east of the present battle line.
Prisoners taken by allied armies in
the past successful week bear wit
ness to the Generalization of Ger
manic raks. from the standpoint of
morale as we'll as military effective
ness.
The period of allied ascendeney has
arrived to stay.
Though when Gen. Foch ushered in
western side of the Rheims-Soissons
salient. which led to the expulsion of
the German armies from their posi-
tions on the Marine, he marked the
real turning in the allies military eff
forts on the western front. the fight
ing which ragged during these event
full days does not compare with the
tremendous struggles which have
been raging during the past week.
Hardly single point in the long
battle line stretching from the north
ern side of the Lys salient to the re-
gion of Rheims has seen an idle mo-
ment. Attacks and counter attacks
have been delivered almost without
number. During the latter days of
the week the flames of battle were
raging unchecked over practically the
entire line reaching from Arras to
Soissons with tho allies holding the
upper hand.
Allied endeavors really began with
the action in the region of Autroches.
ten miles north of Soissens. when the
French armies operating between the
Cise and the Aisne struck forward
on a six-mile front; AS each day
went by this French offensive was
developed. until it embraced all the
region from Cunny sur Matz to Fon-
tenoy, on the Aisne The fighting was
over tremendously difficult terrain,
but by steady pressure and constant
blows the French finally were able
to gain the hills overlooking Las
signy, which city was later captured
Not content to stand here, the
FRENCH continued their blows between
the Oise and the Aisne, reached the
banks of the Aillette river over
wide front and forced German with
drawals on both banks of the Disc,
fhe French reaching the southern side
of this important stream later in the
week.
As the result of the French OPERA
tions the fall of Neyon is a fore
gone conclu-
> oA4 VI NUyUA ' ou
Foregone Conclusion. ssr,, ny, 70 n.,. tne as
La Fere. soon will be in the grip of
the allies, and the withdrawal of the
battle line along the Vesle is an i'm
mediate prospect.
Though the French occupied the
chief attention during the earlier
days of the week. British forces oper-
ating from a point below the Somme
to the northern side of the Lys sali-
ent were not inactive. and, through q
series of sharp blows at various
the Ancre river. forced the Germans
into retrograde movements. British
operations in the Ancre region de-
veloped during the middle part of the
week and later they developed into a
vide concerted drive against German
positions from a point near Lihons.
below the Somme, to the Cojeu river
below Arras. One OF the greatest bat
Ties Of the war was ushered in by
Haig's men, who scored consistently
steady progress, imperiling, as we
see today, the whole German scheme
of things on the western front.
The operations of the British in the
Lys salient likewise were important
the ironing out" process. Through
successes in the LOGON region near
Merris and near Merviile. the Ger
mans have been forced to withdraw
over wide territory. though they have
consietsntly fought severe Tear-guard
actions. There is much comparatively
high ground still in German hands
and unless the Germans intend to
completely withdraw, voluntarily, from
the Lys salient and subsequently
give up the important Paschendaele
ridge to the east of Ypres, it is to be
expected there will be much hard
lighting in this arena before the Brit
ish have succeeded in forcibly expel-
ling the enemy from his present po-
sitions.
American and French forces operat-
ing on the Aisne have been practically
idle during the week, though there
have been some minor engagements.
In Lorraine and in the Woevre the
Americans have engaged in patrolling
activities.
Since the kaiser surreptitiously
lighted the torch that has set the
world adame the
Yan.6Arman pan-aermans who
have kent a f1rm