Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1918-10-18

with the French at Laucon. East Of
the Mouse also the Americans were
going forward, and, at the time OF
writing, these movements, as well as
those all along the line, were still pro-
crossing.
These operations in France were
steadily crushing the great German
salient whose apex was nee Laon,
and the French were maintaining a
continuous pressure on both sides Of
that city. They also were compelling
the further retirement of the Huns
who still remained south Of the Aisne
between Neufchatel and V%ouzieres.
The American air service or the
front of the First army clearly dem
onstrated its superiority during the
week. Huge aggregations of bombing
planes continually flew I'VE the en-
envy front lines, communications, back
areas and troop concentrations, doing
incalculable damage, while the pur-
suit planes kept the air clear Of Hun
ma chimes.
"a
The Serbian army kept up the unre-
hitting pursuit Of the Austrians in
Serbia as the Bulgarians withdrew
from that country, or surrendered, &C
cording to their agreement. Before
the end Of the week the Serbs were
quite close to Nish and moving ahead
steadily. To their west, in Albania.
the allied troops made considerable
progress. The Italians took Elbassan
after crushing determined resistance
by the Austrians, and then continued
their advance northward.
Ia
The occupation of Beirut by French
marines only accentuated the troubles
OF Turkey. The cabinet resigned, af-
ter a peace note was said to have been
started on its way to President Will
son, and Tewfk Pasha, 1t was report
ed, would be the new grand vizier. His
.sympathies are rather with the allies,
and there is little doubt the sultan
himself would be mighty glad to get
out of the war on the best terms OBJ
tainable. London was convinced Tur-
key had notified Germany it intended
to make peace and that the kaiser
tried to stave this off by the proposal
of the chancellor.
Austria Hungary was In a condition
almost Of panic and was nervously
awaiting the outcome Of Prince Max's
effort. Reports from Vienna said the
ministerial council had decided to in
troduce national autonomy 'in order
to make President Wilson's stipulation
an accomplished fact" Among the
people of the empire the movement to
proclaim the separation of Hungary
and Austria al making great head
way. Meanwhile the Bohemian lead
ers were comforting and preparing to
declare the independence Of their
country and its separation from Aus
tria -Hungary, and, knowing the dam
gers of such action, made their wills
and settled their personal affairs.
%
Boris, who has succeeded 10 the
throne of Bulgaria on the abdication
of his father, Ferdinand. adheres to
the terms OF the surrender made by
his armies, and has ordered Germany
and Austria to quit his country with
in a month. Already the rail connec-
ton between Vienna and Constantine
pie seems to be effectually broken.
nI-1o 49, 49, a%ovsOnsy NV kha n
derous German U-boats are to be re-
corded. The Irish mail boat Leinster,
the Japanese liner Hirano and the
American cargo steamship Tieondsroga
were t~orpedoed. The total loss Of life
was estimated at more than 900. In
the case of the Ticonderoga about 230
were killed, most of them by shrapnel
fire after the boat had ceased to resist.
Is
One painful result of the German
peace offensive was the decided slow
ing up of the campaign for the fourth
Liberty loan. Presumably because
many short-sighted people thought
peace was at hand and the money
would not be needed, subscriptions to
the $4,000. 10000 loan were distress
ingly slow In coming in. Ali the agen-
cies engaged in the campaign re
doubled their efforts and the American
public was loudly warned that the
Hun peace talk must be d~isregarded
and the money must be raised. Uncle
Sam needs those six billions and he
will get them, and he will need and
will get much more, in all probability,
before peace is declared and the arm
les are disbanded- If the people re-
fuse to lend the government all the
money it needs, at a good rate of IN
terest. it has other ways Of getting
funds, and 1t will adopt them.