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Show 10ERMAN RETREAT IN FIE SWING Reoccupation of Lens Coal Fields Definitely Figured on by Marshal Foch. . WASHINGTON, Oct. 3 The German retreat from tho Hlndenburg line was fn full swing today, menaced by the French, Belgian and British thrusts at vital points. While official reports told only of the evacuation of Armen-tieres Armen-tieres and Lens, of fleers here confidently confi-dently expected that this phase of the - withdrawal must be expanded to the south a.once undor the threat of the British "push northeastward from their, lines between the Scarpe and Cambrai. Willi the evacuation of Lens, the enemy's hold on the great coal region of northern France Is loosened. Nothing Noth-ing has been received as yet to show whether the mines have been fired j but it Is regarded as certain that during dur-ing the years 'of German occupation the great fuel storehouses below the surface sur-face have been worked to the limit. Lens Coal IFiclds As evidence of the complete confidence confi-dence with which the allied leaders have viewed the future ever since it became certain that the United States would succeed in getting a great army Jo France for the fighting this year, it is now known that re-occupation of the Lens coal fields has been definitely definite-ly figured on for some months in computing com-puting fuel needs and supplies. There also are indications that American coal mining units, equipped with the most up-to-date machinery, even with the means of fighting possible fires in the workings, will be ready to enter tho mines as rapidly as the armies j force the enemy beyond them. i The force that compelled the Gcr-1 man leaders to order the evacuation j of the Lens-Arnientleres front un-i doubtedly, In military opinion here,! was the wholly unexpected rush in Belgium in which the Belgian army itself, under command of its soldier king, formed the spearhead that broke the way for swift expansion of the victory by French and British forces. There appears to be little doubt now that King Albert will be able to reestablish re-establish his capital on Belgian soil this winter. British Hold Key Position Standing' on the flank of the German Ger-man communication system from Ar-mcntieres Ar-mcntieres to the immediate vicinity of Cambrai, General Plumer's second British army is believed to hold the key to a wide stretch of territory now in enemy hands. Exentension of the Franco-Belgian drive north of General Plumer's command, com-mand, however, would permit yie British Bri-tish commander to move forward to the southeast in a wide encircling movement. For this reason it is thought a new drive is to be anticipated antici-pated on the Roulers front with largo French or British forces supplementing the work of tho Eelgian armies. Fall of Douai Forecast Tho evacuation of Lens foreshadow! the early fall of Douai, already closelj pressed from the south. It is now clear that the grand strategy of Marshal Mar-shal Foch contemplated pinching tho enemy out of the whole Lille-Douai sector and the abnormal quiet that has prevailed along the Lens front up-to up-to now is explained. The supreme commander is today realizing the full success of that plan. Wtiat effect tho break in the north may have on the remainder of the lino remains to be seen. Undoubtedly, it is said, an element of successful withdrawal with-drawal be necessarily the concentration concen-tration of a great force to hold up the British under General Plumer and the Fronfh nnrl Tlplrrinns nnWli fvnm cnn. tinuing their drivo eastward. A way must be kept open for the retreating armies. Enemy on Weak Front Before Rheims, however, the enemy already has let go of the valuable defensive de-fensive positions on the St. Thierry plateau and 3tands on a weak front with his back to open country beyond the Laon-Rheims road. Just north of SL Quentin the British were again hammering forward today toward the valley of the Olse In a movement that imperils the whole German line between be-tween the Olse and the Aisne. Tho urgent situation around Lille might dictate a suspension of th,c withdrawal near Rheims, but -it looks now as though the movement was loo far advanced ad-vanced to be arrested and British occupation oc-cupation of the Olse line east of St. Quentin beyond doubt would force not only acceleration but wide extension of the withdrawal. Nor is the Rheims situation of the enemy perilous only on this sector. East of the cathedral a pocket is forming with the French fourth army west of the Argoune menacing the security of the German troops on that front. The' momentary lull in the fighting on the American lines at the Meuse, Pershing's men consolidate their positions before the new German line, may portend a new blow at any moment and the continued quiet along the immediate front of Rheims may foreshadow an early attack at-tack there at the heart of tho weakened weak-ened German defensive structure with open country beyond. oo |