Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1918-09-21
BY EDWARD W. PlckARD.


The American First army. General
Pershing commanding. started the first
great wholly American offensive
Thursday, attacking on both sides Of
the ST. MIhiel salient southeast Of
Nerduu. The French assisted by at
taCking on the point Of the salient, but
the operation was planned by the
American STAFF and executed 10y Amer
ican officers aud troops.
After q terrific artillery preparation
which for four hours smotlered the
entire region within the German lines
with shells. the YankS went over the
top exactly at five o'clock, following
q rolling barrage timed for an ad-
vance of lOO meters every 80 minutes.
Great CImbers Of tanks supported
them and cleared the way by crushing
numerous concrete machine gun shell
ters and breaking down the elaborate
wire defenSes. American aviatorS in
tlocks quickly drove away the few Hun
olrmen in sight and thereafter del
nced the enemy supply ccntcrs, mu-
nitlon dumps and hangers With
bombs. while the observation planes
directed the work Of the artillery.
Everything moved Hike clockWork and
the troops speedily gained their cb-
tnrtlTes ana Went on To the next ones.
Village after village was taken and
ny Friday tie cavalry had advanced
far into tb" center of the salient and
occupied strong positions. At the
fme OF writing the drive was progress
ing steadily and the Germans were in
Danger of finding their retreat from
tie biz wedge entirely cut on. Hun
deeds of prisoners were taken. The
81 Mihiel salient had been held NY
the Huns ever since 1919 and was
very strongly fortified. Its base is to-
ward the German stronghold Of Metz
md II may ne that the drive is direct
ed against that city However. Mar
shol Foch's strategy had not been re
vealed when this was written.
Having given M All the ground they
son In their great spring drive. and
Nnd'us themselves back on the old
Hiudcnhure line and in some places
we'll behind f. the Germans decided to
stop their cetrcat for q while. Marshal
Foch ana NOT fully assent Ia this deci-
Ston hat powerful concentrations Of
Hun artillery and reserves I'm strong
positions, coupled with torrentinI
rains throughout picardy. brought the
allied offensive almost to a temporary
standsdlL Not that the fighting hv
any meau~ ceased for the French and
British kept pressing forward. though
more slowly, and the Germans deiiy.
erred desperate counter-attaeks. which
in almost every instance resulted only
IN severe losses for them
II is the opinion of expert observers
that the halt of the Huns approximate.
ly on rhe Uindenhurg Hne viii be only
temporary Indeed. 81 IS believed they
rsnnot stay there long if they
would. For many weeks thev have
been hastily building new lines nf de-
teuSe farther east. and Marcel Hrufu
tn the Echo de Paris says they are now
constructing supreme line from Ant
Werp 10 Meta and are putting the Ant
verp forts in defensive condition.
Their present line depends ou Douat
'@Hbrnl s.. Quentin and Lson. and
farther IN the southeast on the Chemln
drS Danes. pouai already was be-
ing evacuated last week and the air
or"me moles east Of it were belux dis
"a0i'ed. The British f4hfiuz 6eets-
~ ana rennl>inc heavy cogutyratackS
were a'iVs"rIu- steadily taror-a HAY
>'.'.5. "iefs"rts and Gou- eucuuer
''a5ea Il. ef7~saie OF sha .,..,a.5 .sr
.',. 'R7~ fokins the mala defense o..
@al-bsa, ou tbe southwest S. oasg.