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Show oo AMERICAN OFFENSIVE I STARTS. Attacking on the Lorraine front, tho American forces, aided by tho French, J are striking at tho St- Mihlel salient. After an artillery preparation of j. four hours, the allies went over tho top and, at last reports, were bug. J cepsfully working to their objectives, I This may bo a feint Wo expect the great blow to be struck further down tho lino from tho top 'of tho Vosgos mountains. But this move may be preliminary pre-liminary to the forward thrust to come next spring a fcellng-out maneuver. The St. Mlhiel salient always has seomed an Inviting sector for an attack. at-tack. It is at tho point where tho line, directly south of Verdun, bends sharply to tho east. By a vigorous applications ap-plications of the pincers, the entire top or the salient should bo removed. How strongly this part of the German front is hold has not been dlsolosod. but if a heavy force is in the bend, we may hear of tho capture of many prisoners. pris-oners. We are of the opinion that General Pershing has half a million or m.oro soldiers along the Lorraine and Al-saco Al-saco border, and is in position to make this sector one of the hottest on the entire -100 miles of fighting front. These tactics of striking on tho Marne, then at Montdldler, at Arras, at Lens, at Armentleres, and then at St. Mlhiel should thoroughly alarm tho enemy, who does not know where the next blow is to fall and Is constantly con-stantly in danger of being overwhelmed. over-whelmed. If tho Germans attempt to draw off troops to strengthen the trenches at St. Mihicl and further east and south, the British will push on to Cambrai and Douai, and the French will nip off La Fere and San Quentin and finally bring about a general retreat re-treat in northern France. One advantage the allies now possess, pos-sess, is that they are fighting on the in- nor -circle. They readily can throw troops from Noyon to Toul or back to Picardy, while tho Germans must take a circuitous route in transferring their division from the eastern part of France to St Quentin or Laon. |