The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-09-16
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SUMMARY OF THE WAR
(Ry Associated Press.l

While Austria was preparing her
note to the beIIiaerent nations, pro.
posing that they meet In formal
discussion of peace terms In a neu-
traI country, Germany was making
ready to make another offer Of sep
arats peace to Belgium. It lie ans
nouneed that the Belgian govern
ment has been approached with a
proposal that If she will remain
neutral during the remainder of the
war, German will Withdraw TO the
frontiers that were violated in
August, 1914. IL Is asserted that
Austria acted on its own initiative
in sending out it's proposal but the
offer Of Germany to Belgium points
to what may be said to be more than
a coincidence and probably desper"
ate peace offensive 10 now we'll un-
der way. II official sentiment 10 re-
fleetsd by newspaper comment at the
entente capitals, the efforts OF the
Central Powers to reach a peace by
gesotiation are doomed TO failure.
coLDLY RECEIVED.
In London and Paris the offer OF
Austria was coldly received while at
Washington Il 10 pointed out that
the United States will not entertain
any peace overtures that can, at
best, bring only a temporary respite
from hostiIities and will leave Ger
many and Austria free TO break the
peace of the world at any future
date.
Even in the German press thsrs
seems TO be little hope that the allies
will agree 10 meet representation
of the Central Powers. The news
papera OF Berlin point out that
similar steps by Germany and Aus"
tria have failed in the past and that
while the people will no doubt be
hopeful for a cessation Of the strug"
gle, there is little prospect OF Its
early termination.
tention is directed ehiefiy at the
front in lorraine, where The Ameri-
cans are under fire from the fortress
of Metz and are apparently making
ready for a drive against the Iiney 20
which the Germans Withdrew their
shattered columns from the st.
MihieI salient. Along this front
American forces ere on the thresh"
old of Germany.
MORE THAN LOCAL VICTORY.
The victory of General Persi1ins's
men has had more than merely To-
cal effect. German lines TO the
have been weakened by
the heavy blow dealt along the
heights OF the Meuse while 20 the
northwest the Germans are forced
20 adapt themselves 10 the new
menace which has taken from them
the cornerstone of their positions to
tbe , east Of Verdun. Slowly the Brit
ish are creeping nearer the 7inden-
buru line in Pieardy. Maissen1y,
northwest of st. Quentin, has been
taken from the Germans, who also
were forced out of Holnon wood,
further south.
The German retirement In the
Flanders area is still going on, the
British pressing closely on the heels
of the enemy as he exfricate8 his
forces from the periIous salient into
which he rushed last April.
East of the AiIette and south Of
the Aisne close contact with the on
emy is being maintained by the
allies.
NieoIai Lenine, the BoIshevik
premier of Russia, has sent note
Soviets announcing that the BeIshe-
vik government is helpless and that
it must form a defensive and offen-
sive alliance with another power"
He adds that the Russian people
must not "recoil" from an alliance
with imperiaiists.
or the passengers on the British
liner Galway Castle, sunk by a Ger
man submarine on Thursday. f54 are
The number Of passengers
on the steamer was 749 instead OF
960, as at first supposed.