Newspapers / Wilmington Morning Star (Wilmington, … / Oct. 23, 1918, edition 1 / Page 1
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The Weather. Fair Wednesday except raih in ex- H trftne west portion: Thursday proba- j !i!y rain, except fair northeast por ii uon VOL. CIII-NO. 50. WILMINGTON, N. WEDNESDAY MORNING, OCTOBER S3, 19 IS WHOLE NUJtBER 39,573 L . OF T. E CITY OJF IS NOW IMMINENT ! i i . -V 1 H VMLENCIENNES a of v n a Drr ror m? wnf MAN UFACTURING REJOICING British Already in Valenciennes On the West; Drive Forward . On the North. ENEMY LINES STIFFENED Lllied Forces in Belgium and French Flanders Have Slowed Up Some. important gains made A Number of Villages Have Been Wrested From Huns. (By the Associated Press). The fall "f Valenciennes to Field Marsha1 Haigr's forces is imminent. Teiite the desperate resistance of the Gc; mans the British have entered the kitv on the west, while to the north thev have made a deep thrust into the great Raismes forest and are mov ing in the direction of Conde, near the ansrle of the Scheldt. Valenciennes had been in uninter rupted French possession from 1677 until the on-rush of the Germans early in the present war led them many miles into Prance. It is now about to be added to the rapidly growing 1 of towns, the redemption of which has- brought rejoicing to the French people. Although the progress of the allied forces in Belgian and Frencn jfianaers ha? slowed up somewhat in the face o'f the stiffening of the lines of rear guards aiding th retreat of the Ger man armies, appreciable gains have been made some of them of much im portance, t . Hollain and Bruyelles, on the Scheldt, south of Tournai, are now in the hands of the British and north of Tournai the village of Froyenne .has been cleared of the enemy who is withdrawing toward the Scheldt. There lias been sharp fighting for the cross ings of thi. waterway at Pont-A-Chin; the Germans are battling hard to keep the allies from outflanking Tournai on the north. Behind the Scheldt the Germans are nusv-L-d in strength: their machine gr.n-s on the east bank are active and a:e receiving the support of artillery ar1 trench mortars. In the north battle area the Belgians have reached the Lys eanal along their entire .front and have captured a tr.d-rehead with numbers of the enemy nest of TJeerendre. An item of great interest appears in the latest announcement by the French war office concerning operatipns along the Aisne. It says: The Czecho-Slovaks with us re-took the village of Terron." The French are still moving active ly 'o the north of Laon and have now completed occupation of Chalandry and Grandkip. To the southwest of Ghent thev arei . firmlv established on the east bank of the Lys river, having Biale crossings at several points. 7air-3t which the enemy resisted with Determination. Around L,eCateau, where Americans arc- fighting with the British fourth a"tny. activity has diminished greatly. Tr-p same is true of the -American sec tor northwest of Verdun, where the chief activity of the enemy has been tr-e shelling of the American" lines with ni'istnrd an other gas shells and an a'r raid, which came near to achiev es the destruction of an American ta?e hospital. TV- German reply to President Wil ff,n is still the subject of much com irpnt, newspapers and public meetings alike agreeing that Germany has by 1,0 means adequately mx the desires rLt1lf' r'r,is';(lent and the allied powers, cognizance of the note has not w.n taken by the United States Pvernrnent. AW-,: awhile numerous German news Pap. "s ;,rP calling upon the emperor In :"rr)ii1,ltn v, ; la A 1 ' Jiiiiiaeii Arum tilts quwiiuu nr- f;., r ng that peace must not be on account nf the "Flohenzol- ' r I 'm- other reasons. " lOlf-,- :niitollm 1rn -rrr.n-- V a 9 ret the front in nnrfhprn T?nsniSL r'-n'nneed lull is looked for in Hory. ft ? r :o M EMPLOYES PUT 1.1 XY MILLIONS IN .BONDS a '-"'rim-ton. Oct. 22. Employes of r'H'i-; under federal control sub- not less than S16i.992.150 to . "w tli lih'ertv loan. Tills total, ac- Cr, 1( incomplete repforts received !" the railroad administration. tonl ' ributei among 1,642,694 per- ' itions "thus far reDorted bv Jl - " 'I.;,-.,, operating regions total t,,. . '- employes and enlisted men - I. .1 u, the war department ''inon subscribed $14,341,400, in iotr Equipment Ordered. '" liston, Oct. 2. To supply the )zf.!.j " n" "ts of the "recently organ- motor transport corps, the war con..r,rri"ni today Announced that en.1'01' have' beenN let for motor inment, including trucks, tractors, arr,n,;ri?"r carB arid motorcycles CO Tng ' approximately $130,000, ued order is the largest ever is TO TR j Hun Airmen Drop Bombs Near American Hospital One Outbuilding is Torn Down and Other Damage Done Red Cross Nurse is Thrown From Her Bed, But is Uninjured Pa tients All Removed to Dugouts; None Being Hurt. With the American Army Northwest of Verdun, Oct. 22, 5:30 p. m. (By the Associated Press.) In retaliation for the destruction wrought by American bombing planes within the enemy's lines recently, German aviators last night raided the American front and back areas in the largest force since the American offensive began on the Me use and in the Argoane. In addi tion to attacking the infantry the Germans bombed the region around Clermont, Montfaucon and Rarecourt. - Four bombs were dropped near the American hospital in the neighborhood of Rarecourt, one of the bombs tear ing down an outbuilding. The glass ends of four former French barracks, now used by the Americans as hos pital wards were shattered. A Red Cross nurse, Marjorie Saw MANY CAROLINIANS LOST HTH SHIP Two Officers and 99 Privates Went Down With the . x Ticonderoga. TOTAL LOSS OF LIFE 21:3 Only Known SnrvIvoT Were Three Officers and . Five Memjber of the Crew and Fourteen Privates Of the Army. Washington, Oct. 22. Two officers and 99 enlisted men of the army lost their lives in the sinking of the Amer ican steamer Ticonderoga in the war zone September 30. . This announce ment today by the war department brought the total loss of life to 213, the navy having previously reported 10 officers and 102. men of the crew dead and two officers carried off as prisoners by the enemy submarine that sent the vessel down. More than half of -the soldiers lost on the Ticonderoga were from Ohio. The list also gave the names of 14 privates saved. The officers lost were Lieutenants Joseph W. Freeman, of Wetumpka, Ala., and Cleveland G. Frost, Berea, Ky. The Ticonderoga, formerly the Ger man steamer Camilla Rickmers, was torpedoed almost 1,700 miles from shore and the only known survivors were three officers and nve men or the crew, in, addition to the 14 sol diers, saved. The submarine is report ed to haye shelled the life boats,, kill ing many of those who had succeeded in leaving thership safely. The army's list of dead include the following enlisted men: Jonathan D. Alexander, Batesburg, S. C.; Ralph L. Boyd, New Brooklyn, S. C; Louie H. Campoell, R. F. D. No. 2, Belton, S. C; John M: Devereaux, R. F. D. No. 4, Columbia, S. C.; Harry A. El lis, Crystal Springs, Miss.;- John F. Gardner, R. JT. D. No. 1, Rock Hill, S. C; Grover 'CT KJrby, Whitestone, S. C; Clarence A. Lewis, 2213 Clark street, Columbia, S. a; William E. Long, Jr., Silver Street, S. C; Gillam S. Merri wether, 1718 Blanding street, Columbia, S. C; Lawson J. Owens, R. F. D. No. 2, Gaff ney, S. C. ; Herbert Q. Sarratt, R. F. D., Gaffney, S. C; John' A. Simpson, TUchbnre. S. C: Hayes Sloan, Marion, H-3. C.; Lawrence N. Smoak, R F. D. No. 2, Ruffln, S. Cj' yW alter B." Swack, r. jj. jno. I, .Jsrotnerton, lenn.; vvxi ua.m VI. Thomas. Clifton. S. C; Lozier J. Thompson R. F. D. No. 3, Bostic, N. C.; Charles u. waucer, JNew jasxie, r Ustthenr Widener. R. W. D. No. 1. Aiken, S. C; Robert Y. Wilkins, Route No7 1, Converse, S. C; Eugene J.Wom- ble, 151 Pickens street, uoramoia, a. C: Robert C. Zeigler. Box 56, Rings- ville, S. a' . , The. following eniistea men were among the' saved: To vn ex a F Sumner. "R- F. D. No. 1. Cross Anchor, S. C; Calvin C. Wright, Glendale, S, f AMERICAN AIRMEN DESTROY TWO PLANES AND BAXLOON ' t 1 With -the American Army Northwest of Verdune, Oct. 22. 9 p. m. (By the Associated Press.) The clear weather early this morning permitted of some aerial work and the Americans downed a Hanover biplane at Bayonville, a Rumpler at Buzancy and a balloon. in the vicinity ct Tailly. r- r Aside fro mkhe normar narassing .ar tillery fire of the enemy - on the front lines and the rear areas and .similar, ac tivity on the part of the Americans, the day passed without incident: ?Tnere waa- no infantry ' action of. importance and. the lin remains as it was last ORTANT JNTER BRINGS ENCH PEOPLE yer, of Buffalo, N.- Y., was thrown from her bed, but was not injured. All the patients were taken to dugouts," none of them being injured. Another Red Cross nurse, Mabel Butler, of New Ha ven, Conn., was in the samexbuilding with Miss Sawyer but was not hurt. Both of them immediately went to the aid "of "the patients. When the first bomb fell the hospital attendants gave their first attention to their charges leading or Carrying -them to shelter Rocks thrown up where this bomb struck broke the windows in the southern "end of the building. Ten other bombs were planted in succession in a great semi circle. Throughoutmost of the night German planes were heard many times passing over. Fifteen American night fliers re sponded to alert signals when the Germans raided the front and back (Continued on Psipe Eight) DANIELS PROPOSES ' BIG NAYAL PROGRAM Asks Congress For $600,000,000 To Cover Three Years' Construction. WILL BUILD 156 SfflPS Included In This Total Are Ten Super-dreadnaug-hts and Six Battle Cruisers In Addition to Those Butldlns Wow. Washington, Oct. 22. Congress has been asked by the navy department to authorize a second three-year naval building, program to provide 10 addi tional superdreadnaughts, six battle cruisers and 140 smaller vessels at a cost of $600,000,000. This was disclos ed tonight by Secretary Daniels after his appearance before the house naval committee to explain the appropria tion. This authorization is asked for the next fiscal year and is in addition to the 156 naval vessels comprising the first three-year building program au thorized in 1916 and the great number of new destroyers and other special types contracted for since the United States entered the war. Work on the first three-year program was, delayed by the. war,' but congress has required that a start must be made on all ves sels before next July L Including the $600,000,000 for the three-year program,. Secretary Daniels said, the total estimates ot the de partment for ship construction includ ing armor and armament-, amount this year to $972,090,000. Only $200,000,000 of the $600,000,000 will be made avail able next year for construction work oi the three-year program in addition to $372,090,000 asked for completing vessels already authorized. W. N. C: CONFERENCE IS POSTPONED BY BISHOP Will Be Held in Chtarlotte Instead of Monroe at Date to Be .Fixed by Bishop Influenza Cause. Charlotte, Oct. 22. The Western North "Carolina eanference of the Wfeth odist Episcopal church, south, will hold it annual session this year in Charlotte at a date to be fixed by Bishop U. V. W. Darlington, it was announced officiary today following a meeting of tre pre siding elders of the conference with the preaiding bishop. The meeting was held to decide upon th advisability of hold ing the annual conference at Monroe, N. C, beginning November 5 in view of the influenza situation. ALL AMERICAN DEAD "TO BE BROUGHT xIOME Grave ifceglrtnatlon Bureau In France Worldns to This E nd I aart ruc tlons Front Washington. With the American Army Northwest of Verdun, Oct. 22. (By the Associat ed Press.) All i the American dead in France will be, taken home after the war, accordingto orders received by e jarmy . chaplain. The grave regis tration bureau has been working with this In view but nothing -definite ;te ; garding " the - f uture disposition. ' of -the dead -wast-known hero until instructions-came to ;he - chaplaJns---rom WaaSxIafitoaT V Vw-tr. . r PEOPLE READY TO slRIFIGE KAISER, FOR EARLY PEACE It Must Not Be Delayed a Single -JDay on Account of the fr Hohenzollerns. -.X- J PAPERS SPEAK OPENLY German Censorship Probably Preparing the People For ; Coming Events. Geneva, Oct. 2. Peace must not be delayed-a single day on account of the HoheaseUerns if they are an obstacle to it,' '-declares the Volks Freund of Karlsruhe which also is permitted to speak of the disappearance of the sup erstitious belief that the emperor was chosen (to rule by divine right. The chwabische TagwacKt sas that everybody is now convinced the allies will no accord; Germany a cheap peace, "but if -the glory and power of imperial Germany is the price the German people are ready' to pay." 1 , In permitting such items to leave Germany, the German censorship ap parently is preparing public opinion for coming;; events. THEODORE WOLFF WRITES 7 ?. IN A BOASTFUL MANNER ' f , . i London. . Oct. 21. Theodore Wolff in the Tageblatt of Berlin says that great difficulties will be caused if President Wilson, or-the allies refuse to negotiate for an - armistice as proposed by Ger many. , ,, , "In Paris London and New York now there is, talk of military necessity," Herr Wolff continued. "We won't deny our own politicians spoke with violence in the same strain when they I .jught possession t Paris was in sight." The article includes: "Should Presi dent Wilson demand the impossible we must reckon with a continuation of the War." iHssi,;'-'K- v v -.iSt-. V- t ' CONTROVERSY MUCH ' FURTHER London, Oct. 2. British Wireless. The Manchester Guardian says it does not see that this particular contro versy can with advantage be carried much further. "President Wilson," the paper goes on, "insisted from the first that as a preliminary condition to armistice, the German armies must be) withdrawn on all fronts within their own frontiers, and this condition has already been accepted by Dr. Solf. The, conditions of an armistice, therefore, can only be considered with this as a starting point and the actual position of the forces in the field cannot be taken as a 'stand ard.' " RESULT MAY BE DECIDED BY THE PRESIDENT'S REPLY Copenhagen, Oct. 22. (Bythe Asso ciated Press.) "President Wilson's reply to the latest German note may, perhaps, bring definite certainty as to the result of the negotiations," Prince Maximilian, the imperial German chan cellor said today, according to a dis patch received here from Berlin. "Till then we must prepare to resist a peace of violence." Prince Maximilian cdftinued: "A government which, acted other wise would be -left to the mercy of the fighting and working people. It would be swept away by public opinion." SOUTH MUST PREPARE TO" RECEIVE IMPORTS F. R. Eldridge o fthe Bureau of Com merce Diseosses Southern Trade After War. Atlanta, Ga., Oct. 22. What the south can expe,ct after the war and, the necesr sity for the consumption' of foreign goods in this section so, that vessels may not have to return empty was dis cussed at a Southern trade conference here today by F. R. Eldridge, Jr. act ing chief of the faireastern division of the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce. Cotton goods, cottonseed products, naval stores and lumber were cited by Mr. Eldridge as some of .the principal exports. Europe, he said, would have to depend largely on the south for lum ber, to rebuild its cities -and all the world would buy the other ' products. The exporting ships- cannot stay in southern trade unless they return laden, he said, and among remedies for this he suggested that the southern busi ness men prepare to import copra from the Philippines and the East-Indies and thus southern mills Sould crush oil the year round. Manila jute could also be imported for making bags for cotton seed meal and fertilizer.- Preparations must be made in the south for factories to handle the raw jute imports, he pointed ofit, f More than 1 twenty" southern, cities were represented at the conference which closed tonight. ' CAPTURED RUMANIANS ARE , FIGHTING f WITH ITALIANS Washington. Oct! - 22. Information was receive vtoday by the Runtanian legation that .Transylvania Rumanians captured by the Italians while in the Austrian army, haverganized a ;Bu- manian legion and now are fighting with the Italian airny-againetHfheir an cient enemy,-, Thlegion: numbers 1," 000 and was organized under the super vision df the .Rumanian nationalora Imitteo of ;Jarta. V ' ; . ' r ' President Will Be Guided By The Supreme War Council Mr. Wilson Himself Is Still Silent Regarding Germany's Reply, the Official Text of Which Will Be Delivered This Morn ing He Has Been in Communication With the , Allied Governments. y Washington, Oct. 22. The prevail ing belief here tonight is that any action President Wilson may take as a result of the new German note will await and largely be guided by a de cision of the supreme war council in France. Shrewd diplomatic observefsv and some officials take this view, though no intimation of his own attitude has come from the president because ad mittedly the one question immediately at " issue is a military problem that of the evacuation of invaded territory by the German armies as the only con dition upon which tEe plea for an arm istice 'even will be given considera tion. The Germans now are evacuating Belgium and northern France as rap idly as they can move before the sweep of the allied and American soldiers and still maintain their organization. Since the government at Berlin says they want to get out without further flght-ing apparently the issue is one for the allied war council to determine EPIDEMIC SHOWING IMPROVEMENT NOW Situation In West Has Not Been Near As Serious As .in the East and South. ' GAMPS -HAVE 92DEA!EH$ This Is Sligntly Less Than Reported On The Previous Day Inflnenia Now Epidemic In Only Five Camps. Washington, Oct. 18. Improvement in the influenza situation over the country was indicated by reports re ceived today by the public health ser vice, but in many places the epidemic apparently has yet to reach its crest. It' the far west and on the pacific coast the situation has not proved nearly as serious as, it did in the east and south. Continued abatment of the epidemic in army camps was reported to-day to the office of the surgeon-general of the army. New cases during the 24 hours ending at ' noon today totalled 2,773 against 3,007 the day before, while deaths decreased from 404 to 392. There was a slight increase in the number of pneumonia cases. Army medical officers said influenza may now be said to be epidemic in only five camps, the others reporting less than fifty new cases -each daily. The total cases since the disease became epidemic number 292,770 with 15,497 deaths. In the east and south generally con ditions among the civilian population are rapidly, improving, according to re ports to the public health service. In the middle west and in the states bor dering the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, abatment of the disease also has been noted, although many new cises till are being reported daily. In Cali fornia, 32,000 cases had been reported up to yesterday. Oregon and Washing ton also report new cases and some deaths. CONTINUED IMPROVEMENT SHOWN IN SOUTH CAROLINA Columbia, S. C, Oct. 22r-Cntlnuel improvement of the influenza epidemic situation in outh Carolina was noted in reports made to the United States public health service today. Apressing need for pharmacists in several sec tions of the state has been met by ob taining furloughs for pharmacists among the enlisted men at Camp Jack son. Five deaths were reported at the base hospital at Camp Jackson for the last 24 hours. INFLUENZA STRETCHES OVER WHOLE OF NORTH CAROLINA (Special Star Telegram). ' Raleigh, Oct. 22. The infection tof influenza stretched today literally across the state, according to the epi demic map kept in the state depart mnt of health.1 Istraight 'throttgn from the coastal counties, to Cherokee coun - ty, the extreme western county. Dr. Ranking said he is, marshalling more emergency-physicians, and nurses and In this : (respect there is consider able improvement, but he does think the disease has yet turned the crest so . far -as the state-wide infection Is concerned. i . v ' However, the , worst seems - still , to -fee over in the easf ern section. Wash- Ington, -Beauf or obonty . is stUl , hard i and rntsstly winhwi for; you a returr? J Their; machine crasned-.,t eartn, our--i.t: n.- iM nn vaht 1rt -th tins, of -thaf. orftH-neritv wWdhvow-criillajitlV I intr evolution at CorttaS field, klHUS T. I . , C, . . ICdntinued on' Pagre EgM ; Probably Decision Of whether It shall be suggested through President Wilson that General Foch be applied to for terms, or whether without further 'diplomatic parley the approach of a white nag from the German lines shall be awaited. The official text of the German note readied the Swiss legation here by cable early today, but it was not de livered at the state department be cause the entire day was spent at the legation on the tedious task of de coding the document and preparing an English translation of the German text. The translation was made wlthJ the greatest care by Frederick Oeder- lin thA Swica ptittrcra Kfipanea thar. are obscure phrases in the unofficial version received yesterday by wireless which may be cleared - up by a more accurate rendering of the German note. When the charge's work was done Secretary Lansing had left- his office and an engagement was made for de livery of the note at 10 o'clock tomor row morning. This incident in itself was pointed to later as evidence that exchanges between London, Paris and Washing ton have been proceeding since ihe ar rival of the wireless version arid that ContinuT on Page Two). KING ADDRESSES ALLIED DEPUTIES Large Inter-Parliamentary Del egation Calls al Bucking ham Palace. Hl'fiPV ' TTT fW TT .-DfAfaW "Are All Agreed That K Must Be a Complete Victory," the King Adds. Pays Tribute toj France, Italy .and -Belgium. Liondonff Oct. 22.-(British "Wireless Service) King George received a large deputation of inter-parliamentary dele gates at Buckingham Palace yesterday. The deputation included .thirty British representatives, 22 from France, 8 from Italy and one from Belgium. "More than two years have passed," said the king, "since the first visit of the inter-parliamentary committee of the, French chambers when you and we were in the throes of a conflict, the is sues "of which then seemed to many foreign observers uncertain, although you and we never -doubted that our cause, being the cause of" right and humanity, would prevail. Now the ar mfes of France, Italy, Belgium and' the United States, side by side with ours, are driving the enemy before them, his forces shattered, his people clamoring for peace. "Victory is within our reach; and we are all agreed that it must be a com plete victory. I congratulate you, sen ators and deputies of Italy, on the prospect which opens before you of re covering the regions guarded by those Alpine snows, where your valiant sol diers have won such glory regions in habited bymen of your own race and speech, who have long desired to be fmltt to free Ualy. lgratulate you, senators and deputies of France, on the ap proaching eestoration of provinces torn from you 47 years ago which have never wavered in their i loving attach ment to France." NKing George recalled -that while be tween Great Britain and, Italy there had always been peace, it was once otherwise - as to Great Britain and France, who had waged many a war in former centuries. "But," he continued, "in those days thereras always on both sides a spirit i-of chivalry which forbade bitterness, and when peace came it was made with a sense of mutual respect. We in Eng land have always continued to admire ,the brilliant gifts -of France, gladly owning our intellectual debt to her, as we own also our debt from even ear lier days "to the versatile genius of Italy. . . "That respect and gratitude have furnished a solid foundation for the af fection which has now grown up be tween your nation and ours Consecra ted by the memory of the heroes who have fallen fighting side by side in this war, animated by the same devotion to their countries and to justice, this af fection and this memory of pledges of our futures-concord. Such concord and co-operation will,- we trust, become, under the blessing of Providence, a se curity for peace not only topur own peoples to all - free Europe ''which is longing to return to tha. paths of tran- crauity ana-progress. h "And you, sir, representative of th senators and deputies ox .Belgium, we rejoice to see you also upon our soil. Your country, wantonly and wickedly attacked and devastated,' has had ter rible 'sufferings to" undergo but the day of your deliverance is at hand. The British people which has felt for yon through-those-sufferings,', has admired the constancy and- loyalty of your peo ple- and. - tne devotion .of your soldiers gacrtflced At the caU oX. duty.", v IS BELIEVED NEW STORM OF ATTACK WILL BREAK SOON. American Army Officials Are Intently Watching West- , ern Battlefront. AMERICANS MAY STRIKE Wide attack by Pershing's First and Second Armies Seems Possible. y Washington, Oct. 22. Now that the Germans have been cleared out of Bel-, gian Flanders and much of northern France, army officials here are watch- mg the battlefront intently, many ot them with a distinct feeling that a new storm of attack may be about to break against the enemy. There wasjiothing tonight to indicate that this expectancy was founded upon definite information and it probably grows out of a number of happenings ofva minor character n themselves, but possibly important links in a chain ef events soon to De disclosed. Beyond dou&t the German retirement in Belgium has slowed down. However, " ""t jei uiear wneiner mis ib aue to vS to the fact that the retreating forces are nearing on the whole northern front the line which frennsntlv hm been selected by military critics as the - j t first pausing place, on the way to the '..' Meuse or the border, or to the necessi ties of extending allied cermmunicatidj) lines as the troop advance. It Is prob- able, officers said, that there is neces sity for a breathing spell on', both sides. . ; Tiere is little doubt here that the German army is headed for nothing; short of the Meuse li.i and that any pause will be but temporary to peronit x readjustment o fthe columns and- sup- sequence of movements shall be ex pected, it was said, as the withdrawal tending ' commtinfcation lilies rgl vea 'opr" ! portunity for such halts before Marshal Foch's forces can come ud in sufflcnt pforce to compel a resumption of the ? f ' rearward movement. ' The line surrendered by the enemy , ,jj i from Lille northward to the coast, it ' i was pointed out, was far stronger and no longjthan that he now stands up- on in Belgium. In addition by the evac uation of the Flanders coast he has furnished the allies with means r,t set- tV t.ng up new and more direct c immunl cation lines from EJngland, via Osteftd, Zeezbrugge or Dtlicr Flanders ports. Without question, t is said, these ave- , nues of supply to the advancing armies aM-eady are being opened to free he lojigf.r lines back into France of that burden consequently ofljcers cannot see any technical advantage gained by the frnemy unless he intends to fall back; at least to the line of ihe Meus3. The firs ptage ot the great retrili -a almost c mplete. The Genian right flank has been swung back liko a gate all the way from Solesmes, soutn of ' Valencienes, to the Dutch border. South of the pivot, however, there has been little change on Nthe front from the Oise to the Meuse. It has been noted that heavy concentration of forces was made by the Germans on the LeCateau-Oise-Serre front arid also against, uie American pressure northwest of Ver dun., Without question the" retention !of these lines unbroken was vital lo tlV German plan of action. Now that t'b vithdrawal in the north has progiertd so fully however, it would cause At surprise here if a retirement between the Oise and the Serre were undertaken without Melay, to rectify the 'whole line. T many oifficars it eo,"is postVi that new events have so shuped tile lines that a great drivo may boon be unJf-r-taken, calculated 'to upset the.' whole German plai cf re,:i-enont. Already the allied lines have been" J1 shortened so that considerable forces must be available for the work, partic ularly British. The time, cannot be far away, also, when the American second army under Maj. Gen. Bullard will be pnt into play. To some observers it seem possible that a wide attack may be made by the two American armies, both east and 1 , west of the Meuse, the thrust being aimed at the great artery passing through Sedan and Montmedy. A co operating French assault west of the Argonne would naturally be a part -of such a thrust. - -. To other officers, however, recent French operations in Alsace seem to have significance. Apparently inform- . tion is - desired , as to . the German strength on that frontand as to the character and quality, of the troops thefe. Such raids invariably precede offensive operations, . although they . rarely disclose by their locality the ex actjplace of the proposed attack. . So ' far as the German peace over tures are concerned, army officers hold that manifestly now is the time 'of times forsa new and crushing blow. With the hope of early peace being dangled before the eyes of the war weary troops, their morale will- be at its lowest ebb, it was said, while in the allied and American ranks the round-' -about German admissions of defeat , can only have given new zest for the fight. - "' ; t' ; . ,. i ; . t Two Killed In Airplane Accident. Miami.. Fia., Oct. 22. Percy M. Ger ing, of Pittsburg, Pau, and M.Xu Hope, of Merebosen, lit. student officers of tne marine - corp, wer ju ; . airplane ; accident -here -: this afternoon. both, youos Jir5liDost taaartUB . ' "(.'!i 13 s f ! .7:.
Wilmington Morning Star (Wilmington, N.C.)
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Oct. 23, 1918, edition 1
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