The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-09-09

United Press
War Summary


of the counter offensive.
Picardy front-French reported
close to LaFere and four miles from
st. Quentin. British are attacking
Gouzaucourt, on the HindeEdnrg line
southeast of Havrincourt wood, and
British patrols reported in Hesy, also
on the Hindenburg line, further south.
Dispatches in London said the British
had taken VendelIes and Vermand,
northwest Of st. Quentin.
Aisne front-American artillery
heavily bonbarding LePitite Mon
tagne,. a strongly. fortified. height
which bars progress toward the Aisne
on the right.
Russia-Dora kapIan, who tried to
Kill Lenine, has been executed.
Peasants revolt spreading to
vologda and Tula districts. Red
guards evacuated voIogda. Italian
troops reported to have arrived on
Murman coast.
Spain-TroubIe with Germany over
submarine activities reported settled.
Belgium German administrators
have been called into army service,
their places being taken by women.
sweden-Seandinavi inter-parlia-
mentary conference endorsed the
plan for league of nations.
Russia-Five hundred and twelve
sociaI-revolutionarie have been shot
because of the assassination OF
Utriska, Petrosrad police chief.
LaFere To Fall Next.
by j. w. T. Mason, United Press War
Expert
NEW YORK, Sept. 9.-Von Hinden-
burg has partly Strengthened the sal
lent in his front west of ST. Quentin
and Marshal Foch is now engaged In
digging the pocket deeper than 1t was
before by driving against LaFere, nj
teen miles south of st. Quentin. Ii
IIaF'ere falls to the allies, threat to
encircle ST. Quentin from the south
| will begin to develop. This will ne
| cessitate a rasumption. OF Won Hinden.
| burg's retreat from the ScH1me all the
! way back to st. Quentin and eventuaE
! ly beyond Only decision by the Ger.
mans to give up the entire length OF
! the Hindenburg line can justify their
retirement beyond LaFere. 1t is here
that the Hindenburg line begins tc
make its swing to the east. LaFere is
a powerful fortress of the second class,
constructed by the French as one OF a
series for the outermost defense OF
Paris.
1t has served the Germans admirably
as a pivot for the H1ndenDurg line.
No other position so well fitted TO
withstand the shock of turning point
in the front exists between LaF'ere and
the Belgian frontier. If the Germans
intended to keep to the present form.
alton Of their west front, they Hould
~; tN T q Faro wifi N
the utmost tenacity. Instead of this
thew are reported to be setting fire to
the fortress and destroying stores as
10 the occuDancv were not to be perma-
nent
When Marshal Foch is in possession
of LaFere. not only the German line
to the northward, but also the new
German positions along the Aisne will
begin to fall into dangerous wedge
! formations.
This means that a. new retirement
before the American pressure north OF
the Vesle will be enforced upon Won
Hindenburg If he is to ensure himself
against double attacks from the flank
and rear simultaneously with American
! frontal assaults.
Marshal Foch is proving extraordin-
arily success sful in keeping his salient
developments of the German front
These perilous pockets are doing more
to disarrange the details OF Won Hin
denburg's retirement than any other
single factor in the campaign of all
the pockets that have been created
since the present series of drives be
gan, the most menacing to the Ger
mans will result If Won Hindenburs
does not retire north and south of La
Fere, after that position is taken by
Marshal F'och.
| General Pershlna,s Report.