Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-10-19
Foch Emphasizing Hun Cry For Peace
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While the Huns are crying for peace,
Foch is making that cry more EN-
phatic.
With the Germans giving up Bel
gian territory as fast as the armies
can be Withdrawn In safety. French ter
rtory long held by the kaiser's forces
also Is being evacuated. The cyacua-
ton OF Belgium is being accelerated
by the allied successes not only In that
territory but by the continued advances
in French Flanders toward valcnc!en-
mes, and the northward movement of
combined American and French armies
In Champagne. The moment all Of
l. orthern France Is redeemed the Ger
man hold on Belgium is entirely loos-
ened, THIS Is not only true of the
costai regions but of the larger part
of King Albert's domain
Apparently there is little hope now
for Won Hindenburs to make a success
ful stand west OF the Mouse river. and
the defense of the line there would not
meet entirely the necessity of shorter
battle front demanded by the wastagc
of man power caused by the successive
defeats administered since Marshal
Foch began his offensive on July IS.
Retreat to the Meuse would leave a very
narrow strip of French territory in
German occupancy. IS the allies are
astride that stream north of VerduN
and moving forward slowly. Sh- u'd
this advance continue and the Arnr-
lean forces under Pershing, succeed in
pushing their way to the border of
Luxemburg the Mouse line would be
untenable. Much now depends on the
weather. Given few weeks of good
fighting conditions the German armies
will be in such straits that they will be
willing to accept peace on allied terms
without further parleying. One thing
is certain-the Huns soon will be well
out of France and Belgium and unless
peace intervenes Foch will be in posi-
ton to administer the decisive blow
on German soil next spring. In that
case the final battles of the war will
be fought along the Rhine. 1t IS doubt
full if the German people will permit
the kaiser and his war lords to remain
in power long enough to make this
eventuality certainty.
Dispatches today indicate that a new
German line of defense from Antwerp
through Namur, Belgium. to Sedan.
in France, which probably will be
given the name of the Wotan III line.
is in the course of construction. On
the west Of west of this line the Ger
mans do not appear to have any de-
lenses of real importance.
1t is considered likely the bulk OF
the German armies in this section of
the front Is on it's way to the Wotan
III line, though it is quite possible it
may try to make stand somewhere
on this side of those positions.
IS obscured in haze from day to day.
1t is constantly changing. One day
may see an advance of miles on certain
sectors. while on others the Germans
put up such strong resistance that for
several days the allied advance is
measured only by yards. 1t is admitted
by the war experts in all allied capitals
that the German retreat is being con-
Quoted in a mastery manner. Certain
points. usually the tanks Of a danger
GUS pocket in which the mile advances
have placed her troops, are stubbornly
defended until the bulk Of the German
forces can get away, with the larger
part of their guns and ammunition and
with whole hides While the Germans
during the past few days have been
extricating their forces from the dang
erous position in Belgium and in north
west France. other divisions have been
holding the French and Americans al
most stationary on the line extending
from northwest Of Rheims eastward to
Verdun. This line must be held to
prevent humiliation of the armies on
the front extending northwestward into
Belgium Between the German bor-
der and the present battle front is one
great arsenal. It is the guns and the
ammunitions and the food stores that
Won Hindenburg must save. even at
the sacrifice Of thousands Of his men.
The front in Champagne therefore must
be held at all costs until these sup
plies can be moved to the rear. Should
the Rheims front collapse, as reports
indicate is probable. the Germans must
When this development does come it
viii 80 up to :'.,s:!.rs u battle his
way on the asst bank OF the Mouse
northward to the Luxembourg line.
either by capturing Briey and outHank-
ing Metz or by encircling both cities.
AnA
The loss Of Ostend and Zeebrugge
and all the channel ports has shattered
the kaisers dream Of control Of the
seas bordering Belgium. Teuton econ
cmists lave been saying foi iour years
that Germany must hold this territory.
German militarists have been advanc-
ing the same arguments The econ
omists said the ports. were necessary
for commercial expansion and the mill
tarists said they were essential to the
ambitions for world domination. In
shattering this dream Marshal Foch
also shattered Won Arnim's army and
the HUNS have been forced to abandon
large quantities Of supplies. With the
German lines Of communication being
t;evered farther south, Won Arnim II
having a hard time in getting away.
The most direct railway lines from the
north Belgian coast cities, are not avail
able. A. long strip Of Holland, reserv-
ed for some reason when Belgium
threw off Dutch domination and was
made independent intcrvenes. and
Germany is not now anxious to violate
Dutch neutrality even though the ex-
cuse for so doing might be much more
valid than when her armies marched
into Belgium to murder innocent woni-3