The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-10-05

hard fight before lie evacuates that
keystone position.
Ia
Stubbornly hanging ON to the west
end of the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES and i'm
proving their positions there, the
French repulsed many fierce attacks
last week and advanced toward Laon
along the southern edge Of the st.
Gobain forest. The entire plateau
southwest of Laon is under the fire
of their artillery, and though they were
moving forward with due caution, they
showed no intentions of stopping.
la
On the new American front in
French Lorraine the infantry activity
during the week was confined mostly
to operations for the solidifying Of po-
sitions, though the Yankees did push
forward along the Mouse for con
siderable gain. This brought Metz I'M
der the fire Of their artillery and the
bombardment Of that great fortress
city began at once and vigorously. 1t
seems that the allies are now in a po-
sition to keep up the Smelling of Metz
during the fall and winter, If neees-
sary, and thus its reduction, virtually
impossible by direct attack, may sbe
accomplished. The Germans now ad
NIT the importance Of the American
drive on the st. Mihiel salient, but se
deception Of their people through she
official reports continues, as exemJli-
fed by the statement, one day llst
week, that American attacks on Hku-
mo. mont bad been renplsed ss.6 - y;
KEGS also had been beaten at Thru
mont. At that time Haumont had been
safely held by the Americans for three
days and Thiaumont was already five
miles behind Pershing's lines Fresnes,
an important city, also was taken by
the Yankees last week. and the line
built by them now runs parallel with
the Hindenburg line at an average dis
lance of mile and half. Every day
the German artillery has been deluging
the old salient with explosive and gas
shells, and the American gunners have
replied most effectively, battering the
towns held by the Huns and several
times breaking up attempted infantry
attacks, with severe loss to the enemy.
The airmen on both sides were extra
ordinarily active and the Americans
carried out a number of highly sue
cessful bombing expeditions over en-
envy territory. In one of these, how
ever, superior force was encountered
and five of our planes were lost Incl
dcntally, the British reported that in
the st. Quentin sector the Germans
were using new type of plane that
carries eight men and bombs ID feet
long and weighing 1000 pounds.
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All along the west front the air
fighting was most intense. In one
day the British brought down &C enemy
planes and lost 16, which indicates the
fierceness Of the struggle for the mas
terry Of the air. The independent Brit
ish air squadrons kept up their fine
work In the bombing Of German cities,
notably Mannheim, Metz-Sablons,
Treves and Frankfort. This brings
hOwls from the Huns which are music
to the allied ear.
-
The bolshevik forces In Russia, for
which some victories were claimed
early In the week, later were reported
to be retreating on both the northern
and southern fronts. The Czecho-
Slovaks along the Volga continued
their advance, and the fact that they
captured Perm, capital of the govern
ment Of that name, indicated they were
in fair way to effect the junction of
the forces which are fighting in west.
ern Siberia with those which have been
engaged In southeastern Russia. As
was predicted, the japanese censors do
not permit much news to come from
the allied expedition in Siberia, but
what does come is satisfactory.
In Russia the reign of terror insti
tuted by the bolsheviki to suppress the
counter revolution continues and I'm.
known numbers of the opponents OF
Lenine and Trotzky have been mas
sacred The American government last
week issued series Of articles expos
ing those two precious rascals as the
paid agents of Germany, giving the
text of many secret documents OBJ
tanned by an agent of the committee
on public information. All this made
intensely interesting reading, but nc
one in America except few highbrow
intellectuals" is surprised by the facts
revealed and there doesn't seem any
way to get those facts before the Rus
sian people whom Lenine and Trotzky
and their crew have tyicked and be
trayed.