The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-10-09

leaders at inc ffont Increased WITHOUT
cease. and they had a heavy task. but
they never lost their proud courage
or their clear perception OF their
country's needs. Nothing could
break them.
GIVES UP
BELGIAN COAST
while its right win. held Arm on
tho User, below Dixmudc. and Its
left wing held round Armentiercs.
the main body OF the Fourth army
Mcnin In continual rghting In the
early part OF October. IL developed
into a scries OF local engagements
which passed OF without important
events
on October it the enemy renewed
their attack. In tho direction OF
Roulcrs they gained ground beyond
tho town. kortemarck. too. we lost
On IN. other hand. they could not
advance much toward Mcnin. Near
wervicq we beat them on. Local
successes also attended the enemy
on tho 18th. causing our army to
fall back 10 tho line DixmudcThou.
rout inrcl,nunster.Co urtrai.
The divisions Of the Fourth army
were numerically weak. and the only
explanation Of the enemy not obtain
Ing greater successes against them.
apart from the admirable leadership
Of the army. lies In tho fact that
the ENEMY had no longer much stom-
sch for the nght
Tho Fourth army was ssfll under
the command OF Gen. Won Arnlm.
whose chief Of stat was now Major
Humscr. gifted soldier.
The Fourth army was by this time
In such a difficult position that gen.
erai headquarters had to withdraw
II temporarily from tho night and
shorten It's line. Tho army WINS or
dercd 10 retire on the Hermann line.
behind the canal at Escloo and tho
Lys. This Involved thu abandonment
OF tho Flanders coast The subma.
rine station had meanwhile bern 70
moved.
These movements Of tho Fourth
army were undertaken on October II.
on which day I travelled TO Berlin
again. 10 attend n discussion OF the
second Wilson note. which had by
this time arrived
Al the same time. the Seventeenth
army had had to undergo difficult
time since tho enemy broke thru at
Cambria on September %. Up to Oc-
tober there were violent battles
with varying fortunes on both sides
of Cambria. and we succscdcd In
holding the town.
The Second army was not 80 sue
ecssfuI. being pressed further and
further back toward 10 Cateict In
the early days Of October. Toward
tohain the enemy gained ground.
The right wing Of the Eighteenth
army. which was also engaged In
heavy fighting. was affected by this
loss. On the sth II met another heavy
blow In the neighborhood Of lie Cato.
let and southwark therefrom. which
IL repuiscd.
ufore rs where New York's Twcn-
ty.soventh and the wildcat" diviElon
were fghtingJ
In the night OF October we were
compelled to withdraw the Second
army into the Hermann line, as
there were no reserves 10 aid Il.
To conform with this movement the
Seventeenth army had 10 move its
left wing and It's center back 10 a
line half way from Cambria 10 valcn-
cienncs. the right wing for the pres.
ent being stationed Immediately TO
the west OF Douai. The Eighteenth
army had. like the Second. 20 fall
back TO tho Hermann line. Its left
wing remained at La Ferc.
a GREAT
DISAPPOINTMENT
The decision that the Second and
Eighteenth armies should occupy the
Hermann line. whose construction
was but little advanced. was n great
disappointment to us. I had hoped
that the Siegfried line tthe uinden.
burg Iine) would have held for much
longer.
Already In the fighting ut the be.
ginning OF October to the north OF 81.
Quentin. we had been gradually
forced out Of the position at many
spots. but we had, generally speak.
ing. kept the line. We had not even
completed the evacuation OF the
ground in front of the Hermann line.
The retirements wero carried out
smoothly On the 10th already tho
enemy attacked the new positions
and was beaten of. on the 18th, TO
the northeast OF Cambria. he had n
local success against the Seventeenth
army. which was prevented from ex.
tending. During the days following
up TO the 18th. there was new fight.
ing on the front OF the Second and
whole were successful for US.
As result of the withdrawal Of
the Fourth army behind the Lys we
were now compelled TO withdraw the
Sixth and Seventeenth armies behind
the Scheldt into the Hermann line.
on the nth the Sixth army still
stood TO the west OF Lille. and was TO
the 18th. Further 10 the south the
right wing OF the Seventeenth. and
later the whole Of that army, had to
conform TO this movement.
SHAKES UP
HIS ARMIES
II had been decided that in the
event OF the occupation OF the Her
mann line the Boehn army group
was 10 be withdrawn. Its front had
now become too narrow, and did not
contain sufficient reserve strength
Won Boehn was put In command OF
tho armies from scissors to Arras
after tho defeat on the Marine. push
ing in between the crown princcs)
The Second army now fell undeg