THE AMERICAN VICTORY.

Taihape Daily Times, 1 October 1918, Page 6

THE AMERICAN VICTORY.

WILL METZ Bi 4 ATTACKED. ENEMY LINES THREATENED. •LONDON, September 17 There is great enthusiasm/ in Great Britain over the success of the Americans at St. Mihiel. The papers in London show unstinted admiration for, the American victory, which is'described as one of ■ the-greatest allied coups of the war. It is pointed out that nothing is more likely to open the eyes of the German nation to overwhelming and decisive character of the new factor emerging from the war than the remarkable triumph almost instantly attained by the powerful American army directed by ?n American general. In this connection papers are unanimous describing von Payer's peace terms as evidence that Germany has already lost the- illusion of decisive victory and-ridiculing the Kaiser's Essen speech. The papers are confident that the American victory at St. Mihiel will hasten the disappearance of the illusion in Germany that they can retain their eastern conquests. The are breakup into the web of railways -which are most important for Germany for manoeuvring and by threatening these strategic lines, and the Briey iron-field, they are forcing the enemy to concentrate for the defence of what may prove to bo his Achilles' heel. They are also opning the way for further . larger American attacks. The Paris correspondent 'Of the, Times says that M. Herve writing in La Victoire, expects a frontal American attack upon Metz.. M. Hutin, in the Echo de Paris, points out that an almost impregnable massif now confronts the Americans. Moreover, the Germans are able to use Metz as a secret assembly place for large forces, and the Americans are salready coming within range of the fortress's guns M. Henri Bidou, in the Journal des Debats, voices a warning against the possible sudden German employment of the "secret mass" manoeuvre on the lines of Hindenburg's battle at Wartha. The Daily Mail states that the fear of a blow in the St., -Mihiel salient haunted Ludendorff for weeks, because

it is only 20 miles from the iron ore mines whih supply' 70 per cent, of Germany's iron and steel, and is close to the trunk lines feeding the munitioning the German armies in Flanders.