Evening star., 1918-10-20
Germany's Peace Moves Are
NuIled by President VIII
sons Reply.
ALLIES WOULD INFLTCT
FULL PUNISHMENT ON FOE
England and France Never VIII
Permit Huns to Escape Payment.
"REFORM" MOVES GO ON
Germany and Austria-Hungary Are
Beset With Internal H1S-Try
to Cure Them With
Promises.
BY OLIVER OWEN KUHN.

Lie OVCI WllcliulllS tluCS VI uC'
feat are running definitely anc
fercely against the Germans
From the Belgian coast te
Switzerland the armies of Mar
shal Foch are sealing the doom
of the Teuton and his vainglori-
ous ambitions. Each hour re-
cords the story of new successes
at some vital point along the
western battle front. In fact, no
week since the war started has
been so marked by glorious
deeds of the armies of democ-
raey. Through the blows that
have been struck in the past
Seven days it no longer is a ques-
tion of winning, but just when
the laurels firmly will be placed
upon the standards of the vic
tors
Though allied armies have been
fighting valiantly and with ferocity
which bellies
Flanders Drive any desire to
Achieves Big End. peace nego-
tiations with the Hun, and have
scored important successes at many
points along the western front, un-
questionably the most vital blow was
struck by British. Belgian and French
armies under the command of King
Albert of Belgium in the regions
stretching toward the sea from
Confines. Here along a twelve-mile
front the assaults started. Later a
strip of territory exec eding thirty
five miles was engulfed in battle. The
Germans expected attacks and pre-
pared for them. But they were not
They gave way. During the course
of the weeks fighting Wervico,
Alenin, Moorseele. Roulers, Thorout.
Thielt. Bruges. Ostend and Zeebrugge
were captured by the allies.
This north by east sweep of King
Albert's men placed the Germans in
difficult position along the coast, and
even at this time they are in mad
race to the eastward to avoid being
cut off and captured by allied forces
who have taken Bruges and are
sweeping swiftly toward Ghent
There can be no question as to the
Importance of the allied drive in
this quarter. The whole German
Northern flank will be turned and
the enemy will be unable to offer
successful defense until he has taken
the prepared Antwerp-Liege line. The
character of terrain is absolutely un-
suitable to prolonged defense, but
should the Germans carry out their
very evident intention of flooding the
regions of the Scheldt. unqueStionably
the allied effort materially will be
slowed up during the course of in
coming days.
The breaking through and turning
up of the German line will have vital
effect upon enemy positions stretch
ing through all of northern France.
The crossing of the River Lys on the
southern limits of the Flanders drive
placed the Germans in the Lille-Douai
salient in such position that they were
forced to begin wide retirement. giving
up both Lille and Douai to the British
The advance here continues apace, and
within the next few DAYS the entire
salient will have been eliminated. for
the Germans, owing to the Flanders
reverses. SIMPLY cannot hold it, par
tlcularIy in view of the pressure
which has been renewed by the Brit
1Sh on the southern side of the ka-
lient on the line running, generally
speaking, from the regions of Douai
TO east of Cambria. British attacks
have been resumed all along this sec
tion and rapid progress is being
scored If the Germans have any in
tention of standing on the prepared
Iine before Nalenciennes they must
hasten their retirement, as the FIan-
ders and Cambria wedges of the allies
will be extended SO far east that con-
tInued stand by the enemy in tho
NalencienneS positions would become
uncomfortable.
The French have oo-operatesd with
the British to the southwark and are
operating with expedition and effect
between the Serre and the Disc rivers.
X
Tho great achievement of the
French was the overrunnins of the