The sun., 1918-09-18
Section Larger Than st.
Mihiel Salient Ready for
Evacuation, Say Airmen.
VERDUN BREAK NEAR
Enemy Withdrawal Expect
ed to Reach as Far East
as Contains.
GAIN NEAR ST. QUENTIN
British Report Success Around
Ypres and Taking Of 1901
Prisoners.
GAIN NEAR ST. QUENTIN

was quiet on the American front IN
eastern France there was great ac-
tivity both by the artillery and the
airmen. The latter brought in much
evidence that the Germans are pre-
pairing to withdraw further to the
northeast, perhaps as far MS line
running from north of Eerdun almost
east to Condans, which would mean
the surrender Of larger area than
was lost in the st. Mlhiel salient
Many towns and villages are being
burned by the Germans in this north
ern area, sure sign of their in
tended retreat.
In addition to the towns along the
Moselle which would fall into Ameri-
can hands should the enemy with
draw behind the Hlndenburg line and
which he Is burning. other fires have
been started by the Germans The
towns of Chnussee and
Lachaussee, both in the Hindenburg
line, are In flames.
The Associated Press correspondent
with the American army on the Lor-
raine front says the American line
this afternoon stood as follows:
Ronvaux. Manheulles. Plntheville,
st. Hilaire, Doncourt, Wool, Hau.
mont, n point between Jnulny and
Rembercourt, north of Wanderers and
south Of Champey to the old mine
east of Pont-n .Mousson.
5000 German Women MobiIi.ed.
one hundred and eight German in
fantry battalions, equivalent to twenty
divisions, have been disbanded. It is
learned, In order to Ali the gap made
ny the last years fighting. Women
and boys are being called to the auxll-
larry service to replace men. Five
thousand women have already been
mobilized for this purpose and boys of
IA are being utilized. Captured Off
GERS say that Germany is very tired Of
the war and no longer hopes to do
more than keep what is its own.
The American artillery and aviators
made emphatic replies to-day to the
German challenge. The enemy bonn
harded certain points with vigor and
threw over quantities OF gas, largely
OF the mustard variety, while airplanes
endeavored to force their way through
! the aeii al defences, but evidence was
wholly lacking that the Germans con-
template an attempt to regain the ter
| ritory they have lost. Their high COM
mand apparently intends to adhere to
the policy which resulted in the relin-
quishment Of a large section without a
bitter struggle.
Patrols Bring in Prisoners.
| Patrols sent out by the Americans
, have been successful not only in recon-
naissance but in bringing In prisoners.
Many of the prisoners we're stragglers,
| hut among them were the crews OF
several lost O.: Isolated machine guns.
In some cases they had been taken
| from countering pa::ols
There was much German activity to-
| day on the extreme right OF the line,
! where the enemy vigorously shelled and
gassed the woods north OF Pont-a- Nous
son and In the vicinity or Norroy. Ma
chine gun action north OF Beney was
spirited. while the German artillery was
| active from Haumont to the MonplaisIr
| farm. To the east OF the Moselle there
| has been some skirmishing, but II was
| of little consequence. The allied out
posts are gradually pushing toward that
region.
The comparative ease with which the
Germans were driven from the positions
I they had held for more than three years
is believed in some quarters to have
| been a result OF Understanding the
ability of the Americans. 1t is con-
sidered possible they may have expected
Gen. Pershings troops. carried away by
enthusiasm. to overstep the limits OF
prudence by advancing into a region
where they might have been forced to
sacrifice large numbers OF men or to
retire. 1t has been specifically stated.
however, that the operation was one for
limited detectives only.
Enemy slows Up In Air.
Enemy aerial activity has shown a de-
cided slowing up in the last twenty-f four
hours, partly because OF the aggressive
ness OF American fiiers and partly be-
cause all the airdromes behind the Ger
man lines have been greatly damaged
in the persistent bombardmeM they have
undergone.
Allied cooperation In bombing opera
tons has been a notable contribution Ia
the success OF the offensive. French