Show German Gains Wiped Out a. a 1 1 tl k C l. l 1 Strong Positions Taken By ny Associated Press With the French Army on the Champagne Front Sept 20 Troops Troops o of operating in conjunction with the Americans in in a new batry battle battle bat bat- French the arm army front have toda today conquered positions that the Germans Ger Ger- tle tic alon along ry the Champagne e mans have ha been fortifying n for four years positions that the they have sacrificed thousands of men to Lo hold The Tho French rench losses have b been en remarkably light in snits of the fact that the German resistance stiffened this afternoon I General Gouraud's soldiers who advanced ad- ad to hose hoso positions three years ago and have been facing them ever er since are aro now enjoying a peculiar satisfaction sat sat- In icing In them In tho the battle of ot Champagne Inthe In 1915 the taking of these positions would ouM have demanded a n sacrifice that the strategic n advantage c to be gained then Tho situation Is did dill not v warrant blow blows administered admin admin- changed ell now successive to the Germans ns on different parts part of ot tho the front give Sl a n different meaning to tho the attack Tho rho number of or prisoners taken by bytho b y tho the FI French Is Increasing steadily They are aro filing back b by all roads rOl In groups of ot from a score to several hundred Among them there Is a larger er proportion proportion tion of ot vor very vory young oun oung men than heretofore hereto heretofore fore foro taken cn Some Somo of or the captives are aro recruits of oC tho the 1020 InO contingent scorns scores of or Th They y are leaving lea behind turning burning villages Thirty had been een ob ob- ob- ob served In flames James up to noon today Even E this ails additional and unjustifiable devastation cun can scarcely add n to the thc desolation that has been spread all over this sharply ground The ridges are covered ered thickly with shell holes hole that touch each ench other everywhere everywhere every every- where all nil v vestiges of or vegetation ves long ago o the tho surface of ot tho trio ground giving the Impression that mat It must have o been reduced reduce to a state of oC mud violently Churned then leUto left leU to tiny dry Ir Tho ground Is crossed and crossed crass In every o cr direction by b trem trenches hes that have been blown out of or ors s shape h n p e. e A feature of or today's operations was the activity of ot the enemy airmen which furnished several tle spectacular en encounters encounters en- en counters with French observation balloons balloons balloons bal bal- loons and amI antiaircraft artillery while n I purrs puffs from rom tho ho French shrapnel were seen everywhere over the field |