The sun., 1918-09-08
BRITISH GARNER
VICTORY FRUITS
AS BOCHES FLEE
Haig's Advance Ceases to Be
Battle-FOe Forced to
Disgorge Gains,
GERMANS EXPECT DEFEAT
Shell Severed Head Of Holy
Infant in Virgins Arms at
Cistercian Monastery.
GERMANS EXPECT DEFEAT
3 by PERRY ROBINSON.
Special Cable Despatch TO The SuS from the
Landau Timss ssrrics

Special Cable Despatch 10 The SuS from the
London Times Serrice.
Copyright. 1918: all rights reserred.
WITH THE BRITISH ARMY IN FRANCE.
ept THE advance of the British
no longer battle but the garnering
the fruits of success as the Germans
reluctantly disgorge all that they sacri-
ed so much TO gain last spring. when
icy started for the Channel ports,
heard to-day more details from civil
iins who have been recovered at Ecourt
aid Manancourt. 1t shows how care
fully the Germans keep all information
from the people OF the occupied terri
tories that only two months ago did they
learn for the first time that the United
States had entered the war. and then
only from an indiscreet paragraph in the
Gazette des Ardennes (the German
propa ga ndist newspaper. printed in
French for distribution among the peo-
Pile of the occupied districts), sneering
at American slowness and the small re-
suits of her efforts.
Since 1t has been known that tie
Americans are fighting. they say, the
German pr!vates make no secret OF their
belief that Germany must be beaten. is.
in fact, beaten already, although the
German officers continue to put a
bold face on the matter and affect to
believe in their country's ultimate tri-
umph.
Sourkraut Put in Rntions.
have stated that these civilians have
been supported entirely by provisions
| furnished by the International Relief
! Comm isson: II seems that locally these
supplies were handled by the Germans
and 1t is u curious fact that. as doled
out, these rations consisted largely oi
| sourkraut. 1t would be interesting -
| know IL the relief commissions food
contained sourkraut.
The villagers strongly doubt it, They
are, convinced that the Germans took the
! commissions good bread and -four ant
gave them their own bread instead. Thai
might be difficult to prove, but the sour
kraut Is a matter that could be settled
easily.
Among the recently captured docu
| ments is an interesting order to thu
German army which explains the diff
ficulty of relieving the tired troops. i
says the divisions must do the best tc
rest their own men by reliefs within
themselves. The order also insists agar
that hencesorth the battle is defensive
and is no longer offensive. 1t conclude:
with the words:
IAN efforts should be In the direction
of the construction of positions and IA
miliarizing tine troops with the various
lines OF defence"
This is rather different in tone fyon
the famboyant documents Of few
months ago. Among other defensive
measures tine Germans seem to be in
creasing largely the allotments to di
visions Of ar:!-tank guns.
In their retirement the Germans ar,
leaving behind them the usual numbe
OF boohy traps. so our men exercise ex
treme caution In opening any door o
passing any threshold. going down an.
steps or moving anything left ostenta
tiously lying about. Mines, presumabl!
exploded by the corrosive action o
acids have been going off at variou
places, but there have been no casualties
The British army has grown very wary
One of the saddest sights that hav
seen Is the ruins OF the Cistercian mon
astery on the summit of Mont Descats
southwest OF Ypres. 1t was not a
ancient building and was grandios
rather than beautiful. hut none the les
1t was imposing. and with the old III
teenth century windmill adjoining
made Mont Descats one of the most con
Continued on Second Pdoe