Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-10-10
ALLIES widening
THEIR HUGE WEDGE
Entire German Front North of
Rheims Seems Near
Collapse.
DAY ON BATTLE FRONTS

Vigorously pressing the advantage
gained by the breaking of the German
line between Cambria and St Quen-
tin, the British. French and American
armies have widened the great wedge
in this area to such an extent that
the entire German front from Rheims
| northward seems to be collapsing.
The disintegration of this line is
being hastened by the vigorous
strokes delivered by the French along
the Aisne, while farther east the Ger
man left flank in the active battle
area is being hammered hard by other
French forces and the American
Army in the Champagne, Argonne
and the Verdun regions.
l., Most Telling Thrust.
Most telling in it's immediate effect
is the thrust by Field Marshal Haig,
southeast of Cambria, where American
troops also are operating. The British
commander has swung the main direc-
ton of his drive northeastward and al
ready has pushed to within two miles
of the important railway junction of
LIE Cateau.
The taking OF lie Cateau, which
seems imminent, will cut the last of
! the lateral railway lines connecting
the German northern front with the
great salient of Laon and apparently
will make inevitable the evacuation
of the entire Laon area.
Before LIE Cateau the British are
on a line fully ten miles in advance
Of 4 longitudinal line runni lg be-
tween Cambria and St, Quentin, hav-
ing swept through the great part of
this area in great strides, driving be-
fore them a diSorganized enemy. The
resistance of the German was report
ed to be stiffening during the night,
however, indicating that stand
might be made in an effort to save the
railway junction as long as possible
from capture.
French Push Toward Disc.
~'ASS1ii Niil1S, Adi lllSl SoulIl lIlc TcIlCn
are pushing toward the Disc in the gen.
eral direction of Guise.
They have made particularly ncta-
BILE progress to the east and south
east of St. Quentin, where they are
| closely approaching the river. Their
columns here have passed Fontaine-
Notre-Dame, nearly six miles directly
east of ST. Quentin. This push is like
wise having marked effect in closing
the Laon pocket.
In the north the wedge driven from
Cambria east is already affecting the
front north to Lens. The British first
| army, is moving forward here in the
direction of Douai, which seems the
next great town marked for capture
by the allies along the British sec
tion of the line.
Gen. Pershing's Blow.
The American first army under Gen.
Pershing is not being outdone by the
other allied forces in the delivery of
hard blows upon the trembling Ger
man defensive system. The thrust
east Of the Meuse in the Verdun area
is being followed up by further at
vance of the line here well up toward
that won by the offensive west Of the
river.
In the Argonne, where junction
has been erected with the French
at. Lancon. thus virtually clearing the
forest of Germans, new attacks were
launched this morning. All the re-
cent gains of Gen. Pershing's men
have been held, Notwithstanding
the throwing in of German reserves.
| Not the least interesting develop
ment of the American campaign is
the work of the air forces. which
evidently have been assembled in
such numbers that an American
bombing expedition, which dropped
more than thirty tons of bombs on
German areas on Wednesday, COM
prised no less than $50 machines.