The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-09-17
NO PEACE PARLEY F0CH WILL STRIKE
Republican Leader Backs Presf Mighty Blow Expected
dents Reply to Austria. Momentarily.
Wilson's Action VIII Meet With Allies Are Ready Many
Universal Approval. Points Line.
ALLIES WILL DICTATE TERMS may ATTACK IN The v0SGES
Germany Appealed to the Ar The 3h Probably Would Be in
bitrament of Arms" Drive There.
She Shall Not Now Resort to West Flanders and
Talk and Bargain" at Metz May Be Place.
F0CH WILL STRIKE
A Mighty Blow Is Expected
MOmentarily.
Allies Are Ready at Many
Points on Line.
may ATTACK IN The V0SGES
The 35th Probably Would Be in
Drive There.
West of Verdun, Flanders and
at Metz May Be Place.

at Metz May Be Place.
1t seems probable that a new and
mighty blow against the Teutonic ar
mics in France will be the allies an
swer to the peace proposals voiced by
Austria on behalf of the central pow
ers.
From the sea to the Swiss frontier
there is tension which may forebede
another development of Marshal
Foch's mastery offensive. All along
this battle line there have been local
actions by which the allies have tried
out the German positions and gained
points of vantage from which to
launch their next assault.
Ready for Blow Mt Metz.
General Pershing's first American
army, standing before the fortress of
Metz, has Strengthened its line across
the base of the ST. Mihiel salient. 1t
is known that there is heavy con-
centratlon of men in this region and
it is expected the Americans will not
give the enemy much time to recuper-
ate before delivering new blow
against this bastion of the German
positions on the western front.
Perhaps in Vosges Mountains.
In the Vosges region there is
great activity by the enemy, who evil
there to attack the German lines to
the west of the Rhine. In this sector
of the battle front the Americans are
standing on German soil and an as
sault there would, if successful, carry
the war nearer to the heart of Ger
many than elsewhere along the line
The country to be traversed by an at
tacklng army, however, is very rough
and lends itself admirably to defensive
operations.
Or Between Rheims and Verdun.
Marshal Foch, however, may elect
to strike to the west of Verdun, where
the German positions have been seri-
ously shaken by the American victory
at St Mihiel. An attack from Rheims
to Verdun- was expected three weeks
ago after the British and French in
Picardy and Santerre had slowed
down. 1t would have far-reaching eff
fects If it should succeed. and probably
would compel a. German retreat from
the region north of Rheims as well as
a relocation of the enemy's lines
around Verdun. which is sector that
seems to be vital to the enemy's posi-
| ton in eastern France.
Flanders May Be Place.
| In the Flanders area the British
! have nearly reached the lines they
! held when the Germans launched their
| attack in April on each side of Armen-
| there's. This, too, is a sector where an
allied offensive may be expected. AL
ned successes along the front in
Macedonia may indicate that the
period of qufescence in the near east is
| at an end. Strategists have pointed
| out that great offensive on this
| front wou11 have immediate results in
| determining the position of Bulgaria
| and Turkey as allies of Germany. The
gains made by the allies along the
| center of the Macedonia line would
seem to indicate that there was plenty
! of power Lehind the blow and that it
| may be followed up by other attacks
| the time being to a front which ap-
| pears perilous for the enemy.
| Czecho-SIovaks Gain.
| Entente allied forces operating in
| Siberia have been active north of
| Vladivostok and have won victories
| which may be reflected in a breaking
| down of the Bolshevik regime in east
i ern Siberia. The Czecho-Slovak forces
operating to the west of Lake Baikal
! have made gains recently, and altho
outnumbered, are fighting with great
v1gor in eastern European Russia.
| From Ypres to Rheims the British
and French are carrying out local en-
| gagements with success. Between
Lens and Ypres the British have
i pushed forward slightly, while north
west of st. Quentin they are pressing
| toward LIE Verguier which is on high
| ground and offers a good starting
point for a thanking movement north
of st. Quentin.
| Great Activity Laon to Metz.
| Aerial activity in the region from
Laon to Metz continues intense. and
| possibly may be the forerunner of
| large-scale infantry operations on this
| front. French aviators have ac-
counted for sixteen captive balloons
| and twelve enemy airplanes, while al
lied bombing squadrons have been
| drenching enemy railway functions
| and other targets effectively
| German artillery fire against the
i new American front southwest of Metz
is very strong. The belief that the
| enemy is digging in farther back is
| strengthened by the fact that his heavy
| artillery bombardment has not been
] followed by infantry attacks. This is
also borne out by the report that the
Germans are burning towns between
Metz and the American front.
/ Bulgars Did Not Expect Attack.
The Bulgarian war office apparently
did not expect an allied offensive in
Macedonia. 1t is reported that Bull
garian troops have arrived in northern
France, northwest of Douai to aid the
Germans. Austrian troops have been
month or more.
In the German bombardment of
Paris Sunday night six persons were
| killed and fifteen were injured. Two
German machines were brought
down. Berlin has announced that
twenty-four tons of bombs were
dropped On Paris.
IcI0SF tn HIN R0RDFR