South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-10-05
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DRIVE To HIT
RHEIMS LINE
Teuton Front Already Weak
ened by Surrender of the
st. Thierry PIateau-Big
French Force Ready.

WASHINGTON. Oct 5.-The ap-
pearance Of American troops in yes
terday's fighting west Of the forest
OF ArgOnne suggested TO some OBJ
servers here the possibility that a
new French concentration is in prog
ress and a new blow is to be expect
ed at any moment. The natural
place for the stroke, il was said. ap-
pears 10 be the Rheims front, where
the German lines have already
been weakened by the surrender Of
the St Thierry plateau.
The elimination Of the pocket -oc-
cupied by the Germans just east OF
Rheims. it was argued. is already
threatened by the Franco American
advances yesterday on the heights
northwest of Montbois and the sim
ultaneous forward movement Of
the French northwest Of Rheims.
on the latter sector the enemy is
withdrawing closely pursued, and the
advancing French line is now well
out into the open ground north Of
Rheims. Comparatively little ad-
vance on the two wings of this
pocket, it is thought, should force
a hasty evacuation.
Yanks Near VouzieTs.
The Franco-American thrust is
nearing Vouziers. "A rail junction or
Importance TO the enemy. On the
other side OF the Rheims sector the
French already are on the Aisne in
the vicinity OF Berry-au-B ac and the
pinching out of the pocket probably
would permit extension Of the line
along the general course of the
Aisne- Suippes rivers 20 a juncture
with the Franco-Americans in the
high ground between these two
rivers.
It is pointed out that there are
no positions or heavily wooded
ground to impede the occupation Of
the Aisne line for a considerable
distance.
The esta blishment Of the French
on this front would outfiank the en-
envy positions in Laon from the
southeast. precisely as the British
smash toward the Disc valley from
north of St Quentin TANKS both St
Gobain forest and Laon from the
northwest.
The result of a successful squeeze
operation against the Rheims pocket
therefore is full Of promising pos
sibilities TO some officers. for the en-
envy would no sooner eXtricate his
forces from this menace than he
of ~
similar trap on a wider front to the
north.
Blows Coming Everywhere.
Whatever Marshal Foch may he
planning. there is every reason to
expect immediate blows on various
sectors. in the opinion of observers
here. tt is now obvious that the ad-
vance Of Maj. Gen. Liggett's army
along the Meuse has been halted
under orders from supreme head
quarters and not for lack Of power to
go ahead. for in that case American
troops would not have been avail
able for employment with the
French west Of the Argonne. Appar-
emily the far reaching plans OF the
supreme commander were satisfied
by the progress made by the Ameri-
cans in the first three days Of their
rush. The Americans now are en-
gagged in local operations on this
front until the development of the
battle along the whole front again
calls for a thrust in this vital sector
of the enemy's position.
The stubborn resistance OF the
Germans before the British north Of
st Quentin was taken as clear evil
dence of the danger TO the whole
German scheme OF retirement ear
ried by this thrust In the same
way. repeated counter attacks on
the Belgian front showed the men
ace seen by the German high COM
mand in further progress north
ward by this movement around
Roulers. Presumably heavy German
reserve forces have been concen-
trated az these two points TO meet
the danger. The time seems ripe for
smashing attacks at other points
weakened necessarily by withdrawal
Of reserves to make these conCentra-
tons.
The outstanding feature Of the
whole allied campaign has been the
wonderful fexibility or the forces.
the rapiditv with which whole
armies can he moved from sector 10
sector. appearing on new fronts al
most overnight The enemy has
been surprised repeatedly and a
large part OF the credit for the al
lied advances. il is believed here, Is
due 10 the fact that increasing pre-
ponderance OF men and material.
supplemented by a vastly superior
motor truck equipment have re-
stored the element OF surprise TO
battle strategy.
German military critics have COM
mented enviouslv recently on the
speed with which Marshal Foch has
been able TO move large forces back
and forth behind his front. admit
ting that lack OF motor trucks has
prevented the German leaders from
matching his moves. Allied superb
ority in that regard is increasing
daily as American troops and trucks
pour into France.