Mexico Missouri message., 1918-09-26

new line by advancing 1t to MOislans
and to the east of Neuville. Then. on
Monday, came a grand British smash
which wrecked the much-vaunted Wo-
tan switch line of the Hindenburg line,
from DrocOurt to Queant. Despite the
resistance of great masses of infantry
and artillery, the British rushed for
ward on ten-mile front and speedily
made a gain of some five miles, the
German losses being frightful. In the
succeeding days they kept up the drive
remorselessly, putting much of the Ca
Eal du Nord behind their lines and ap-
preaching within few miles of Douai
and Cambrai. These two cities were
so important to the German defensive
system that large numbers of troops
were rushed to their rescue and the
British drive was slowed down percep-
tibly by the end of the week, though it
was by no means stopped.
All through the week there were re-
ports that many towns and villages
back of the German lines in Picardy
were in flames and it was certain that
the foe were destroying great quanti-
ties of supplies which they were not
given time to remove.
-E-
In the Lys sector, the salient west
Of Armentieres, the German retreat,
under compulslOn, continued steadily
and the British advanced as far as
Neuve Chapelle and Laventie, taking
number of villages. The northern
part of this sector became of especial
interest to Americans because the Yam
KEGS were there engaged in their first
battle on Belgian soil. These troops,
later identified by General March as
the Thirtieth division of Tennessee,
North Carolina and South Carolina
men, captured Voormezeele and other
towns in the vicinity, and next day
pushed on further eastward. Thurs
day the British, presumably aided by
these same Americans, took Ploeg-
steert village and Hill 63, dominating
points on the Messines ridge. BY that
time the British, from Neuve Chapelle
south to Givenchy, had reached the line
| they held before the German drive of
April 8 last, and east of Givenchy they
had occupied parts of the old German
! positions.
-E-
Altogether 1t was a highly satisfac-
tory week on the west front. The
German military critics have given up
trying to conceal wholly the truth of
the Hun reverses, but some of them
| predict that the retreat will not go
much farther. The German crown
prince broke into print with an inter-
view in which he declared the German
idea of victory now is Ito hold our
own and not allow ourselves to be
vanquished." He said only the allies
were waging war of determination ;
tl-at the Germans wished to annihilate
none of their enemies. The Hun peace
offensive seems to have petered out
entirely for the time being.
ia
The British government, aroused by
the saclSing of its embassy in Petrograd
and the murder of Captain Cromie, the
British attache, has sent an ultimatum
to the soviet government at Moscow,
demanding reparation and prompt pun
ishment of the guilty and threatening
to hold the members of the bolshevik
government individually responsible
and to have them treated as outlaws
by all civilized nations. Meanwhile
the British are holding Litivnoff, boil
shevik representative in London, anC
his staff under arrest pending the re
lease Of British officials who were ar
rested in Russia.
-M-
Belated dispatches from Siberia tel
of the destruction of the bolshevil
army east of Lake Baikal by the
Czeeho-Slovaks and say the C0ssack'
are cooperating with the Czechs. i
appears that uninterrupted connection
has been established between the al
lied forces across Siberia all the wa!
from the yolga to vladiyostok anC
that the vanguard OF the Czeehs hal
Joined hands with General Semenoffi
troops on the Onon river.
In northern European Russia tn
allies and loyal Russians have gaine'
further successes south of Archange
and inflicted severe losses on the Dol
shevlki.
-A-
On the Ussurf front In eastern 81
. IBERIA the allied forces have been driy
ing the bolsheviki porthward, defeat
ing them in every engagement and In
dieting heavy casualties. The Amerl
cans under General Graves Joined
! these operations.
T. The suppression Of the Social Rev