Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-09-14
SCOPE OF VICTORY
NOT FULLY KNOWN
Elimination of Salient May Be
Start of Movement to
Encircle Metz.
REMOVES VERDUN MENACE
Shortening of Front Releases
French and American Forces
for Duty Elsewhere.
REMOVES vERDUN MENACE
Try Associatcd rrew.l


WASHINGTON. September 13.-Conl-
plc,e elimination of the ST. Mihic
alient by the American n Army and CO.
operating French forces, many army
officials here believe, is only tho en-
tcring wedge Of operations of FAR larger
scope.
Official dispa tchcs still were delcted
and the fun scope of the victory won
by the Americans in their first indie
pendent action could not be gauScd.
II was regarded as probable. however.
that General Pcrshings men still we're
pressing forward to get in touch with
the new line the enemy hopes to hold.
Until definite word comes as 10 the
line across the mouth OF the destroyed
salient which the Americans now hold.
officers here will unable to form
opinions TO the most probable course
OF future operations in this theatcr.
the quick reduction of the 81. Mihiel
salient will be made the cornerstone
OF a greater encirclin:; movement aimed
at iSolatinG the Germ An fortress OF
Metz the center buttr.ss OF the whole
German front FROM the North Sea TO
the Swiss border.
MENACE; IN REAR
OF VERDUN REMOVED
The strategic Importance of General
Pershing's smashing victory can hardly
be over estimated, in the opinion OF
army observers II .s out Of all pro-
portion TO the extent of the territory
rcEained or the irI~cs employed IL is
id. for the removal Of this menace in
tho rear OF the Fran II citadel OF Ner
from that point 10 Eheir s for active
offensive operations. II also has Lib
Grated the railway line rom Ncrdun
TO Commcrcy. Toul and Nancy which
will be Of the utmost value TO General
PcrshinE and to the French armies on
his left in 81 rporting future operations
along this front.
1t was the loss OF this railroad. Sc
vered by the Germans IN 1914. with the
capture OF st. Mihiol. which placed the
Nerdun fortress in sravcst jeopardy
aud brought on tho battic OF Nerdua.
where the Germans :ct bitter and
costly, defeat at the, hands Of the
grip on the heights around Nerdun has
held the French in this region and to
the cas-, and west Of the salient chained
TO defensive operations. The numcri-
.cal strength of tho French army was
not sufficient TO permit an effort to
drive the enemy off wi,-i.U- weakening
the lincs>clsewherc.
CAPTURE or I2.0On
PRISONERS EARLY REPORTED
General PcrshinG now has signalizcd
the entry OF the American army into
the war by smashing II in less than
Two days of lighting. Ea rly reports
hNed the number OF pris taken
by the Americans at i2.""o and proh-
ably rcpresent the wreckas" OF at
mate has been received Of the war
hocty captured Since the new line
across the mouth OF tho old pocket is
far shorter than the old front. French
and American troops heretofore held
fast TO tho defense of the salient are
now available for other duty.
AS the lines were reported tonight
there was nothing TO indicate that the
American advance had stopped The
German official statement was that "A
new line had been prepared. but the
nature OF the country where the
American troops STOOD late 10 o-hay IN
dicated that the German defense nosi-
tion must be farther back toward Metz
where better natural obstacles are
availa bic. It was expected here that
Am erican patrols would push forward
to feel out this line before new adj
vance is undertaken.
ent had been evacuated without serious
interference caused much amusement
among officers in view of the number r
Of prisoners captured 1t has been cs-
enemy were in the salient. including
those standing guard at its tanks.
Probably not more than four divisions
have at any time been in the depth
Of the pocket and of these more than
one-fourth have heen captured. OH
GERS say that a retreat effected at such
a cost hardly can he considered as "A
successful evacuation and they arc in
as promulgated for home consumption
At the same time il is not doubted
that the German leaders expected the
stroke and made such preparation as
they could toward getting their main
forces out of the salient! The swift
ness of the American advance Oh the
nanks, however seems to have upset
their plans. 1t is believed here that
the figures on war material captured
will bear out this view.