The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-10-29
A Victory at Verdun Would At
feet Whole Front.
Germans There Put Up Their
Bitterest Fight.
AMERICANS ARE WINNING
New Long Range Guns Are in
Action in Sector.
The Good Weather Has Caused
Increased Activity.

With the American Armies in
France, Oct. 29.-While the Mezieres-
Longuyon railway is under fire of the
American long range guns. the Ger
mans are putting up their bitterest
struggle east of the Meuse. The Bel
leu wood positions in that region are
now the keystone of the entire west
front If the Americans capture these
heights they viii have a clean sweep
across the valley to the Mezieres-
Sedan-Longuyon railway, and the
enemy will be forced to retire behind
that line.
Smashing of these height positions
and an advance across the valley. the
comparatively short distance to Mont
medy C25-miles directly north of Yer
dun) would be equal in Importance to
the longer advance to MeZieres (2S-
miles northwest of Montmedy).
Yanks Hold the Wood.
Relleu wood. south of wavrille
(three quarters of mile southwest of
Damvillers) which has been the scene
of violent 1ghting for days, is now
held by the Americans, tho they must
still take the heights on either side.
The wood was first taken by storm
then lost as the result OF a boone
counter attack with heavy reinforce
nents. The fighting swayed back and
forth until the wood was restored.
This is an example of the resistance
the Germans are putting up all along
the important ridges which are bound
ed on the west by the big bend in the
Mouse. in the region of Brielles.
In addition to giving the Americans
command of the valley stretching to
Montnedy, capture of these heights
in, 10 nj RTipV
fields and bringing the roads from
that region under our artillery fire.
Sedan Once More.
should the enemy be forced back to
Montmedy and Longuyon. the entire
line to the westward sin the Aisne re-
gion) would necessarily be compelled
to recede, bringing historic SEDAN,
the scene of the decisive battle of the
Franco PruSsian war. ten miles south
east of Mezieres, again into the battle
area.
While the Americans are gnawing
away east of the Mouse, they are ex-
erting equal pressure along the
heights OF the Aire valley, beyo nd
Grand Pre-. Here the French, on the
left. are playing a most important
role. pushing on beyoni Vouziers and
starting formation of a salient with
the American left a peak. The Ger
mans. however, are protected in this
movement by a continuation of the
heights over which the Americans
must fight by inches
Activity Is Increased.
The weather is greatly improved
and there is increasing activity every
where. Heavy Germa artillery fire
on the front of the Am erican second
army least OF Nerdun) is revealing
the enemvs uneasiness regarding TT e
safety of the Briey iron fields, just
as it is their desperation to hold the
Mouse line. Efficiency of the Briey
district will also be affected by the
big gun bombardment of the Longu-
yon railway. this being the direct line
over which the product is hauled
back.
Guns Shoot 20 Miles.
The guns which are firing on the
AIontmedv LonGuyon railway are
shooting twenty-five miles. This shows
the guns are emplaced from five to
ten miles behind the American lines,
as the battle front is about fifteen to
twenty miles from this line. They are
much bigger calibre than the boche
guns which fired on Paris. The Ger
man guns were nine inch. The Amer
lean guns it has been announced, are
sixteen inch.
The big guns made a great hit with
the French who first fired them in
the St Quentin and Laon regions. The
latter point was completely smashed
by them. as were all the enemy rail-
ways running from that town. Guns
of almost similar calibre next appear
cd at the St Mihiel salient, where they
fired on the Metz region.
Description of these gums is pro-
hibited for military reasons, aside
from the fact that they are transport
cd by railway. The guns are CT such
size that the French despaired Of the
Americans ever getting them to the
front.
All the accompanying equipment is
entirely American. The monsters
were brought over dashed to the decks
of ships
Most Serious to BOchc.
The bombardment of the Mezieres-
Sedan-Longuyon railway is the most
serious development the boche has yet
faced. as this line serves for switching
purposes for troops from east to west,
, and is also the main line for supplies.
1t is the stem of the bottle neck which
the boche must keep open. Breaking
1ieetion between the German armies to
the east and west. except by an almost
impossible circuitouS route.
The Commander of the big guns Is
the biggest peace spokesman on the
west front
The cars of the gun carry complete
equipment. down to food and clothing
as well as the giant shells which are
hurled over the bills at the boche.