The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-10-08
GERMANS PREPARE FOR GREAT RETIREMENT
United Press
War Summary
! ,527th day Of the war.

West front, general-The Germans
are reported to be completing prepar-
ations for general retirement from
the North sea south to the Rheims
region. Their new defenses are not
quite ready and they will try to hold
their present line until they can fall
back safely. At the same time, It Is
Indicated .hat they intend to make a
desperate fight to prevent any allied
advance In the Argonne region where
the Americans are attacking.
From the North sea to Lens-The
lines remain comparatively stabi'iz-
ed.
From Lens to LaFere-The British
and Americans launched an attack
between cambrai and st. Quentin, In
the midst Of a rainstorn1, this NORM
Ing. Satisfactory progress" was re-
ported In this same region, Anglo
American troops gained local success
ses last night. The French reported
heavy artillery fighting around st.
Quentin.
From LeFere to Rheims-No new
operations were reported on this
front.
From Rheims to verdun-The
French won important successes on
the suippe and the Aisne and only a
mile south Of NeufchateI. They also
captured Bazancourt- and penetrated
lsIes-Sur-Suippe.
Tho Americans attacking on the f'f-
teen mile front between the Meuse
and the Argonne forest are squeezing
! In the Argonne pocket, the capture OF
chateI-Chehery and important heights
west Of the Alre river, adding to the
pressure against the Germans In that
region.
From verdun to switzerIand-This
front continues comparatively quiet.
Baikans-The Serbians are report
ed before Nish and the Austrians are
said to be evacuatinu Belgrade. Field
Marshal, Mackensen Is reported to
have arrivecTn northern Serbia to
save the remnants Of tne Austro-Ger-
man armies which are fleeing north
ward.
Tho Austrans evacuating Albania
are In danger Of being trapped be-
tween the Italians, pushing up from
the south and the allied forces march,
Ing westward into Albania {, om Ser
bia.
sIa-Mnor-occu Of Beirut,
the great Syrian seaport, by French
naval forces has given the allies an
Important marine base for their drive
on Aleppo, one OF the key points to
constantinople from the south.
Americans and British attacked to-
day at the very pons on the west
front where tho German prepared
defenses are the thinnest.
Haia announced that the assault
was between St. Quentin and Cam
braI In the midst Of ralnstor.n, and
that "satisfactory progress" had been
made. The battle front between those
two cities Is about twenty-five miles
long. Americans are operating In the
vicinity of Beaurevoir and Mont Bre-
hahn where a breach was recently
made in the Beaurevoir-Fonsomn1
line, the last subsidiary defense be-
hind the Hindenburg line. The gap
was closed at that time by terrific
enemy counter attack, which threw
the British back more than mile.
Haig's AngIo-American attack this
morning may we'll be another effort
to pierce the Beaurevoir-Fo
line and menace the great German
supply base OF lie Cateau, eleven
miles to the northeast. Success Of
such an operation also would open
the way for a flanking movement
against VaIeneiennes (seventeen
miles north Of Lecateau) which Is In
tended to be the chief bastion of tho
next great enemy defense system.
While this attack is under way,
the Americans are continuing their
pressure against the Germans In the
Arqonne pocket, west Of the Aire
river and the French are driving
northward on the Suippe river line,
where they were last reported within
a mile Of NeufachteI. The French
drive Is also deepening the salient
which contains Craonne, Laon and
the ST. Gobain massif.
Unofficial reports have been re-
ceived that the Serbians are before
Nish, that the Austrians are evacu-
atina Belgrade and that Mackensen
has arrived in northern Serbia to
save the remnants of the Austro-Ger-
man armies which the allies are pur-
suing northward.
The Austrians in Albania are In
danger Of being cut off by the allies
In Serbia, who have pushed we'll
northward Of the main Austrian
armies, as the latter retreat north
ward before the Italians. A sudden
drive westward from Serbia to the
Adriatlc would completely oncircIe
the Austrians. The allies advancing
northward Of Aleppo from Damascus
have now an important marine base
through seizure of the Mediterranean
seaport Of Beirut by French naval
forces.
Near Grandpre Road.
rBy ]. w. T. Mason, United Press War
Expert.1
NEW YORK, Oct. S-The American
progress between the Argonne forest
and the Meuse river is now approach