The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1918-10-10
ALLIES GAIN BIG REGION OF
COAL.

American Mining Units Expected tc
Enter Mines-Reoccupat' on OF Lens
Fields Definitely Figured on for
Months in Fuel Calculations.
-Special.-The German
retreat from the Hindenburg line was
in full swing, menaced by French, Bel
gian and british thrusts at vital
noints. While official reports told
FoaIIy Of the evacuation Of Aremntieres
ana Lens. officers here confidently ex
Reeted this phase of the withdrawal
must be expanded to the south at once
under the threat of the British push
northeastward from their lines be
tween the, Scarpe and Cambria.
With the evacuation of Lens, the
enemy's hold on the great coal re
gion or northern France is lCosened
Nothing has been received as yet to
show whether the mines have beer
fred, but it is regarded as certain
that during the lyeapssaf< German De
cupation the great fue1 sItorehouse be
low the surface has been worked tc
the limit. ..-r
AS evidence Of the complete conf
de1ce with which the allied leaders
have viewed the future ever since it
became certain that the United States
would succeed in getting a great army
to France for the fighting this year,
it is now known that reoccuDat-On OF
the Lens coal fields has been definitely
figured on for some months in com
putting fuel needs and supplies.
There are also indications that the
American coal mining units equipped
with the most up-tO-Gate machinery
will be ready to enter the mines as
ranidly as the armies force the enemy
beyond them.
The force that compelled the Ger
man leaders to order the evacuation
of the Lens-Armentieres front un-
doubteGly, in military opinion here,
was the wholly unexpected rush in
Belgium in which the Belgium army
itself, under command Of it's soldier
king formed the spearhead. There
appears to be. Little doubt now that
King Albert will be able to re-estab-
lish his capital on Belgium soil this
winter although much depends on the
weather.
Standing on the flank Of the Ger
man communication system from Ar
mentieres to the immediate vicinity
of Courtari, General Plumer's Second
British army is believed to hold the
key to a wide stretch of territory now
in enemy hands.
Extension CT the Franco-Belgian
drive north of General Plumer's line,
however, would permit the British
commander to move forward to the
southeast in wide encircling move
ment For that reason it is thought
new drive is to be anticipated on
the Rouiers front with large French
or British forces supplementing the
Belgian armies. It has been report
ed already that an entire French
army has been shifted to this front.
It is believed here also that the
evacuation Lof Lens and Armenti ieres
had no place in the immediate Ger
man plans week ago and that the
German plans for gradually falling
back from the most exposed positions
to the center and retiring along the
whole front from sector at a time
already has been shattered
What effect a break in the north
may have on the remainder CT the
line remains to be seen. Undoubtedly,
it is SAID, an element of successful
withdrawal will be necessarily the
concentration of great force to hold
up the allies further north from con-
tinuing their drive eastward. :, A way
must be kept open for the retreatlng
armies.
Before Rheims the enemy has let
eo of valuable defensive positions on
the st. Thierry pleateu and stands on
a weak front with his back to open
country. Just north OF st. Quentin,
the British were again hammering for
ward toward the valley of the Disc in
q movement that imperils the whole
German line between the Disc and the
Aisne.
M. J. Crowder spent the past week
in Virginia on business.