The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-09-14
AMERICAN CYCLONE OF FLAME And STEEL
BREAKS over GERMAA ST. .M|H|EL CAME
United Press
War Summary

1,503rd dayiof tho war; third day
of the american offensive.
Metz front-HaMna captured tbs
St MIhleI salient, tho Americans
have opened terrific bombardrnent
of the Hindenburp line beyond It watt
heavy and light guns German pris.
oners arc still being rounded up in
the captured territory. Prisoners now
total 10000.
Alsne-AIlette front - Tho French,
this morning opened a new attsct<
along tho Alsne and the Aiiette west
and south OF Laon. During the MORN
ing two miles progress and 300 pria-l
oners were reported.
Plcardy front-Britlsh repntsed ssaA
eraI strong German local attacks b.,
fore Cambrai.
Flanders front-British advanced
slightly south OF La Rassee.
acknowledgements hall vfoe
Chancellor Won Payers speech AZ q
big stride toward peace.
Russia-The BoIsheviki govern
ment is reported moving from Mos
COW to small village.
England Premier LIoyd-Geoeos
passed a restless night, but his con-
dItion Is generally improved.
The American offensive having
achieved In twenty-seven hours Its pur.
pose of capturing the ST. Mihiei sal
lent, Marshal Foch today started q
new drive along the Aisne and west Of
the chemin Des Danes, French forces
attacked at five a. m. Gains of two
miles, capture Of 1900 prisoners and
seizure Of several towns was reported
In London early this afternoon.
L. -
and east of scissors. The fighting
front is roughly shaped like the letter
L. On the line which runs south and
the Aisne the French are striking
against the Hindenburs defenses
thanking st. Gobian and Coucy forests
and the Chemin Des Danes and also
thanking the Germans along the north
bank Of the Aisne
On the east and west line the effort
is apparently to cross the Aisne and
disIodae the Germans from plateau po-
sItions which they still retain between
the Aisne and VesIe. In the last oper-
ations on these east and west lines
Americans In IaNge numbers participate
ed. II big advances should be made,
this attack would take the form OF
gigantic pIncer movement against
laon, as the assault is on both tho
west and south of that stronghold.
In what was once the ST. MIhlci sal
lent, the Americans today are round
Ina UP patches Of Germans who were
nipped off In the precipitate retreat
Prisoners taken by the Americans and
French total more than 10000 and
more are being brought In, according
to unofficial reports. American artil-
Iery has now started bonnbardment
Of the Hndenburs line. beyond the
base Of the late salient, WHERE the Ger
mans apparently have taken refuge.
ReadIustrents Of German positions IN
front Of the HTndenbure IIne are In pro-
can victory At chattT1on. the enemy
withdrew two miles In this readJust-
ment.
In Picardy the Germans have made
several strona local attacks against
the British. all being repuIsed.
American AII-Shoek Troops
[By J. w. T. Mason, United Press
War Expert.l
NEW YORK. Sept. 14.-The4 4Ameri-
can success in squeezing the st.
Mihiel salient Is the quickest large
scale operation giving major results
that has been accomplished by the
allies since the present series OF
drives against the Germans began.
The Americans have the honor of
being the first army to complete the
isolation of a large salient by union
of the converging forces before the
enemy escaped.
Nowhere else along the west front
have the attacking units drawn the
strings of a pocket in the effective
manner of General Pershing's all
shock troops. The Berlin official
statement that the Germans retired
from st. Mihiel salient is
untrue Sixty percent of Won Hin
denburg's men inside the pocket were
certainly killed, wounded or captured.
The largest number of Germans that
could have been holding the lines
when the American drive began is
fifty thousand.
ed more than $4,000 prisoners. The
total number will probably be over
5000 It is impossible to conclude
that the Germans have not lost In
killed and wounded at least as many
as they lost in prisoners. Their total
casualties therefore were about 80. 900
or three-f1fths of the number enga ged.
This is unprecedent1y high.
The next move of the Americans Is
problema teal Metz now frowns at