The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-10-04

time seems not far distant when the
cathedral city will be freed from Ger
man artillery fire and for the first
time since 1914. This advance by the
French has very close relation to
that of the British around ST. Quentin
as we'll as on operations farther east
in Champagne. There are some mill
tary experts who believe that this
drive is Of greater strategical value
than any other now going on IN
France.
General Gouraud's army in Cham
payne has at last cleared the western
gate of Grand Pre- gap which runs
north of the Argonne forest. Challe-
range has been taken and the Ger
mans west of that village have been
forced to give more ground.
East of the Argonne forest the Amer
lean forces facing the Kriemhild-Steel-
ung line appear to be held up by the
desperate defense of the enemy. This
may be only temporary, however, as
the nature of the country has made
1t difficult to move up heavy artillery
for the resumption of the drive against
the enemy
SITUATION ALARMS FOE
FRENCH HEADQUARTERS IN
FRANCE, Thursday, Oct. 3.-With the
progress of the allies along the front
from the Aisne to the Meuse. the Ger
mans are daily becoming more alarm
ed over their situation in central
Champagne between Rheims and Nor
onvillers heights. All the enemy
t~oo yrhi n
battle field belong to good divisions
and have fought with the utmost ten
acity. The sole exception to this rule
was the sixteenth Bavarian division,
which was withdrawn after a single
days fighting.
None but first class troops are Of
any value between the Suippe river
and the Argonne, because the Ger
mans cannot abandon ground there
without the greatest risk. Allied fore
es are daily nearing the lateral rail-
ways which permit the enemy to move
his reserves from point to point. Dur
ing the past two days the advance of
the allies has made route from the
Argonne along the Aire valley useless
except by night. His next line of COM
munication is twelve miles to the
north:
In this sector, however. the allies
have to deal with the German crown
prince, who does not desire to be the
first German commander to give the
order to retreat.
Germany is now throwing in gen.
eral reserves into the battle on the
st. Quentin front This accounts for
the stiffening resistance there and
also along the German left flank and
marks the beginning Of the last phase
of the great battle.
British Press Forward.
Notwithstanding violent counter-at-
tacks by the enemy the allies continue
to make gains, which, although local,
are none the less important as they
have a cumulative effect on the cen
ter of the line.
British armies commanded by Cen
eral Byng and General Rawlinson con-
tinue to press the enemy hard. They
have captured LeCatelet General De-
Beney, east Of ST. Quentin is slowly !
pushing the Germans back toward the
upper Disc valley.
Gen. Berthelot is continuing his ad-
vance north Of Rheims and has now
occupied the whole Aisne line from
Vailly to Berry-Au-Bac.
Principal interest along the front to |
the east centers about the operations
conducted by General Gouraud in the !
Champagne sector. Reinforced by the !
General Gouraud has push |
ed forward until he is now within six |
miles Of Vouziers junction, base of |
great importance and is 25 miles from
the great railroads connecting the Ger
man army with Germany He is also
solidly established at Challerange,
which assures eventual junction with !
the Americans on the other side Of
Argonne forest. He has added anoth- /
er 5000 to the $4,000 prisoners taken
Sept. 26.
Better still are the results along the
Continued on Page Eighty