The Robesonian., 1918-10-24
STILL DRIVING GERMANS.
But Progress Has Slowed Down-En-
emy is Offering Stubborn Resist
ance.

From This mornings summary OF
the war news by the Associated Press
the following is taken
The Allied armies in France and
Belgium are still driving the Ger
mans toward their border, but the pro-
cess is now comparatively slow.
On the sectors that are requisite
to the stability of the entire German
line-where crash through probably
would mean the immediate collapse of
the whole Of the defensive system
the most stubborn resistance is
being offered by the enemy, and
what gains are being made by the
allies are virtually foot by foot sin the
face of the hornets off the battle line
the machine guns.
Particularly vicious fighting is in
progress west of the Meuse river
where the Americans in their endeav
ors to overcome the natural obstacles
barring the way northward to Sedan
are faced by picked troops with or
ders to hold them back at all costs; in
the region from LIE Cateau to the
north of Valenciennes, where the Brit
ish and some Americans gradually are
tearing their way through the enemy's
front, and between Journal and Au-
hard after the enemy.
Notwithstanding the frantic en-
deavors of the enemy to maintain
their positions on all three of these
sectors, material progress has been
made. Likewise, northeast of Laon
the French on an eight-mile front
have delivered a thrust that carried
them forward from two to three miles.
Into the hands of the British have
fallen 1000 more German prisoners,
while the Americans west of the
Meuse also have gathered in numbers
of the enemy and a considerable guam
tity of his machine guns.
Veritable nests of machine guns are
being encountered by Americans as
they attempt to press forward along
the front from the Meuse to the town
of Grand; Pre-, situated north of the
Argonne forest; but in spite of these
obstacles they have taken further
ground and at last accounts were
steadily keeping up their pressure
against the enemy. Extremely heavy
counter-attacks have been sustained
north Of Grand Pre- and on this Sec
tor particularly strong concentrations
OF enemy artillery fire have gone al
most for naught. On the western
bank Of the Meuse the town of Brieul.
les has been taken, the enemy having
burned and evacuated it and retreat
ed in the general direction Of Dun.
Exactly what has been accomplish
ed by the French in a drive northeast
OF Laon, except a gain over. a wide
front, has not yet become. apparent
but it brings. .appfeefably nearer Mon
- Cornet, t6E13Sf important railroad IL
this region.
North and south of Valencienne'
Field Marshal Haig has continued nj
attacks against the Germans and ev
erywhere made good progress. BE
tween lie Cateau and Solesmes,
sharp wedge has been driven into tn
German line, threatening the town o
Maubeuge on the east and outflank
ing Valenciennes on the south. Nortl
Of Valenciennes the town OF Brua.
has been captured, virtually makinl
Valenciennes untenable for the enc
my To the north of this region tn
British have reached the west ban
OF the Scheldt canal.
Already the British are in the west
ern outskirts of Valenciennes wher
nard fighting is in progress, the Ger
mans having posted machine guns IN
Vulnerable on the eastern bank OF tn
canal which runs to the center OF tn
city.
In northern Belgium the German
are still retiring. Unofficial report
are to the effect that Client is beln
evacuated.
Mr. T ErapL Stanhens of r,