Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-09-12
NEW DRIVE OPENS
WAY TO GERMANY,
HUGE j. S. FORCE
Great ST. Mihiel Salient Was Bar
rier to Allies Reaching Metz
Then Into Empire.
PART OF FOCH s PROGRAM
ny Associated Press to Every Evenlnr

by Associated Press to Every Evenlng
Paris. Sept Il p m American
and French troopq today hrgan m of-
fensive On twcntY-mllc front IN bor-
raine near The German border
The movement, evidently j. aimed pri-
marty nj the elimination of The famous
81. Nlhiel salient which for more than
four vesr~ has projected into the allied
line southeast q verdun
The attacks were launched on both
sides ~ the salient on twelve-rn'le
front On the south and an eIght-mle
front on the westerly side. The assaults
werc progressing favorabIy ~ the latest
reports
A barrage lasting several hours pre-
ceded the thrust Heavy concentrations
of French and American artillery and arr
planes had been eT ected. The fire poured
in upon the Germans from the allied guns
was a terrific one. wh lie the German reply
on the whole was weak
The German citadel of Metz lies only
some Is miles 70 the northe ast Of Pont-a-
Mo,isson. at The easterly edge of the salient
under attack. and il seems not beyond
probability that this may bc a further
objective If the offensive should i de-
velop favorably in he crushing out Of
material reduction Of inc salient.
The removal II this salient in fact
would seem 10 be a necessity before any
drive in great force into German terri
tory on this front were attempted. as
otherwise the German forces to the west
would be left IN threatening position on
the left flank Of The attacking armes.
It is known that Gen Pcrshing has
huge American army under his command
and there seems little doubt that adequate
forces would be at the disposal OF Marshal
Foch for an important push in this sector
we're the opening moves 70 develop a
suitable opening The St AIihiel salient
is nearly twenty miles wide At its mouth.
from Fresnes, II miles southeast 81
Vcrdun. to Pont-a-Moussqa, and some
what more than Is miles depth. with
rs apex Just 10 the southwest Of It.
Mlhiel. Il was driven INTO the French
line IN a sudden German eruption south
east ot Eeroiun early IN he fall Of 1914
before be line had become entirely tabIl-
lzed after the Marine and Aisne battles.
The French checked the German push
near -. NIlhlel. and prevented a de-
bouchlng movement on The flanks The
positions taken up by the Germans we're
strong ones. however, and there Is one
record no previous organized attempt 80
reduce this menacing bulge pointing AZ
+ the heart Of France between the fortresses
/ Of Ncrcun and Nancy
Marshal Foch has caused the launching
of this attack almost coIncidently with
the virtually complete elimination of the
various salicntS the Germans drove INTO
the allied lines ia their otfensives during
/ the present lighting year.
The Hlndenburg line again had be
come the German defensive position along
almost its entire length and the German
defense was stltfemng materially at all
points where the French, British and
americans were pressing in upon them.
rhe German command vii now have,
it appears, another problem ID meet ID
dealing With tho outbreak Cf rs foe n
another and comparatively distant quar-
ter from that ia which ne bulk OF the
fighting has been done IN this year Z
campaign The question Viii bc, il
seems, il the reduced German man-poBcl
has left General Ludendorff with forces
sufficient to maintain his front iron
Rheims to Nprcs, and at che same time
beat back a powerful thrust by the Allie.
far to the southeast Oh the battle front
The Eindenburg line itset, however
already mas not proved too strong Tor eitht
the French or the British at some points
in the recent fighting The British reach
cd it on the Queant-Drocourt line, anC
today there came the official announce
ment from London that the British ha,
made further progress behind this lin
in the direction of Cambria one Of th
principal German bases in the north
4 strong defensive line had been take
bl the enemy here along the canal III
Nord but this line now seems turned b
its LEFT flank, as the British have forced
crossing Of the canal 10 the northwest I
Havrincourt and are in position TO pus
up the easterly bank providing ficl
Marshal Haig decides 20 employ ri
7 driving force in this direction.