Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-10-28
HUNS DEFENSES GOING;
FOES ARMY IN DANGER
Aisne Vital Section of Line; Anneri-
can Front Also Pivotal Point;
Boche Planning Gen
eral Retreat.

Washington, Oct. ~. "A soted V~
writer summarizes conditions On thA
battlefronts as foliows:
"The pressure of the French IN tho
Oise-5erre salient has finally resulted IN
the German defense giving way over p
great part of the area enclosed by these
rvers. Beginning along the Oise near
C.tIse, the French have driven INTO the
German positions until their line rIns al
most due north and south from Cfurse 20
the Serre. This still leaves = sharp angie
where the line turns eastward, but this
cannot be held long The southern Rank
Of this salient ~ no longer safe. Tho
French have forced crossing Of the Sfrre
st several points east of Crecy, notably
at Nortiers and at Caunnont, ard have
firmly established bridgeheads AZ both
places. They have further passed beyond
the wide marsh areas north of Cizy, and
have established themselves on hyr,
ground at PieTepont and Caunont.
DEYExsZ ~ AIssE VITAL.
'Tbis front is of great inp>Jr'sno. b4-
cause of its relation 80 the German de-
fense II the Aisne bend which centres
A. Pethel. The defense ~ The Aivne N
this section means the defense % the
American front north Of The Ar1onne II
onc goes the other must ~. And once
the resistance is broken On our oprn front.
The vital sys'cms # railway through
Sedan are placed r. serious danger Ger-
MANY may have u in mind - retreat
behind he MeIse She probably has, bit
she wishes 10 do II IN her 0pn good time
Whom she gets ~ nor final line n - %
sentiaI that She have her equipment ard
supplies rs near intact az possible u ~
American forces reach sedan before rhis
Rithdrapai made he probabilities ere
That i can never ne msde Tho non
mav ge' away hrt heir psraphsnsiis
Will be lost
givE WI 2 Bv,NCEs.
Therefore the Fren 10 action n n.
A-e-~e-ro -alicnt s iled p-fh IMPORT
aaca lesterda-- he French advanced IN
some places - Q depth % Hve miles Pc
fore them hat g before their line mort n
of the -erre is broken country, ger
orally quite hillv But the Germans have
~ material obstacle behind which they
ran zeek shelter until ne F'ipion River
n reached etill some distance N their rear-
Tn rhp French operations 5000 prison.
ers we're taken This IS not 2 great maTyv
AZ measured bv he .ength 0f front over
which The advance took plare and ne
depth of Dentratirn B'lt eside from the
guard action. we must also remember toe
changes which have taken place \ he
German denfeusive system For sorns
time Il las not bern The custom 10 hold
-vsten ii trenches ur defenses by the
sid continuous line With heavy expendI-
.ure c} man power
DEFEEsEs WITH FET Ay~.
On the contrary the defensive system
las npen designed to Use es few men 50
possible so as 70 minimize losses. The
defense Is trusted principally TO machine
guns every she'll uoie neing organized.
and rhese supplemented as needei by
specially bruit screens. Pill boxes. or
small concrete block houses we're the rlle
III he Old established line wnere there
was ample time 70 Uulld them. Ii NAV
veil be doubted. however whether these
eust On the present front. The net re-
suit of this Is that much smaller NUMBER
0f nen Der mile OT line IS Used and con-
seuuentiv when line IS taken rhe capsurs
0f prisoners IS correspondlngiy reduced
ALLENBY HAS TURKS ~ HIS CLUTCHES.
General Allenby IS still continuing ms
victorious march n Palestine. He hss
finally reached Aeppo. he key 20 all n
he Fighting. and has thereby cut the life
line of the Turkish troops Mesopotamia.
ColncIdent wlth this, the Mesopotamian
army Of the British mas begun an advance
when should. after a week or ten days.
Be entirely nOpposed. What Alenby
will 10 next = almost certain 20 be an
advance against Adana. He must drst
make ms position secure. of course, and
probably must make an effort 20 cut
down The resistance 20 his colleague n
Mesopotamia. But Adana i great
prize AMI is ne key 70 the cou ~ be-
hind ne wall al the Taurus Mountains.
Turkey : capitulation. however. may fore
stall "a advance in his direction.