The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-10-23
Nv WILLIAM L. MCPHERSON.

Tho German etrategists didn't give
the Schcldt a name out OF Wagner
operas. They should have called II INC
Lohengria 'StellunG. for Lonensl,''
drove his swan boat dowr tho Scno'u.'
But If Lohcngrin had boon SO honoret'
he would have nothing on "o,''n ~
Sie-rried. His "StellunE wouio ne1re
nrnvcd no moro imprcgnable than their
'SteIl;lngen" were.
The Germans have been holding IN"
scbeIdt line In reserve as aAcover for
va,anciernes, Tuurani and Client anu
also for Brussels. Eut ttcy had hardy
lime 10 settle themselves In 1t before II
VAS crumpled and broken. Onco more
1udcnlorffs retreat was too slow ana
Ir,.sol,,to That has been tho vice OF
alraos, every German retirement on INV
U-est front since July IS last. Inc ~
lied pursuit has not been eluaeo IONS
enough to organize q really olruSh1 ~
,s,etu. nostt1on. So the German retTcaN
h,s been one long disjointed operation
without any definite end IN sight - -.
no. M, heon a astrological retirement
a. the German General STAFF claims. IL
haa been n slow and costly recon- unue'
superior allied pressure
Yesterday. for practical PURPOSES m
s1beldt line went glimmering. IN ''o
sector east Of Eoulcrs. where the Ter
unan defence has been flaoplest' tne
| British second army pushed clear acTose
the ten-mile stretch between Ihe hSN
and rhe Schcldt and cuveloped Auoen-
go. an tho west bank Of the scheidt
| half way between Client ana IouI"a''
E,,rth.r north the French and Bel g1Rne
| ara onlv Ave miles west OF the Scheiat
neer -ournaI. And at the southern OK
| trsrnitv Of tho line Va1enciennes IS raI'
idly being envelop ped.
The German line OF defense quit 'ne
Scheldt at NalcnClennee ana 'uF1'e1
southeast to LIE Quesnoy and hvcsn'H',
| following the limo Of the main lateral
railroad from Valenctenncs to Hlrson'
IN. valley OF the Scheldt continues
| southwest to Denain and thence 10 Ceh-
brat The British took Domain on sun
day, That town Is five miles south"eS'
OF Talenciennes YESTERDAY 'heE a.,
ranced east to Haulch!n. also on INC
Scheldt. three miles southwest OF Ealeh-
cisnn.s and only about two miles west
NJ me railroad to Hirson. In addition
the british took ST. Amand. on the
| Scarpe river. about seven miles nor'A'
northwest Of valencennes.
The forcing OF the Schcldt at Aude'
| nardn would turn the German position
IN Flanders. already totterinG 81 iour'
mai and other points. So far as Belgium
"a concerned, the abandonment OF the
Schnldt line would moan German
withdrawal 10 \ line covering Antwerp
! BRUSSELS and Mons. So far as the Val
onciennes sector of France is concerned
II means a huge retreat TO Mons ant
| Maubeuge. ~ ,,.,
| below valenctcnnes the German stu
| alton II also critical. The British ar'
/ within a few miles Of lie Quesnoy. on N"e
sole direct line of communication ne,
tween the northern German armies anc
those above I.aon and Rheims. North
east OF lie Cateau the British nave
reached tho Sambre Canal and the sam
bro river. which pass along the south
crn edge Of the Forest Of Normal to
ward MaubeuGe.
Down the Sambre valley Is a naturI
| highway to the frontier. now harh'!
twenty miles away. At AulnoF" on 'h'
sambre the -Hirson rail
road would again be cut. The AlIle'
would also no on the right flank an'
rear OF the German forces left IN 'h'
Guise salient and in the region apoF'
tho serre river. Foch's present plan
seem to call for an Allied advance noTti
east on both sides Of tho Marmai Forest
:. The German government has askr'
for an arrutstice which, while securing