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THE SUMTER WATCHMAN, Estab* OoDSolidated Aug. 2, li British ifhb DP. I GREAT PROGRESS MARE LAlST NIGHT ON FLANDERS FRONT. i Many Towns and Villages Between j Gambiai and Ypres Captured as Troops Press Forward in Pursuit of Germans. London, Sept 5.?The British made! marked progress last nigh-: on thej Flanders front, it is officially announc ed Ploegstrer village and Hill No. | 63, southwest of Messines have been captured. On the Lys front the Br tish hold; the general line of Voormezele. j Wuiverghem, Ploegsteert, Nieppel Laventie and Givenchy. Eastward of; Givenchy a section of the old Ger- j man line has been taken. In front of Cambrai the British ; have improved the position south of j Mouvres, east of Hergies' and near! the Canal du Nord. Further south they captured Nea-i ville-Bourjouval, east of the Canal du| Nord. More than sixteen thousand! prisoners and a hundred guns havej been taken during the past four days, i ? GERMANS FALLING BACK IN NOYON SECTOR. Paris, Sept. 5.?The German re treat before the French northeast of Noyon continued last night, it is offi cially announced. The French are pushing far east of the Canal du Nord and advancing north. The Franco-Americans ha^e reach ed the cross ridge, dominating the Aisne. In the Nesle region the French have Crossed the Somme canal near Voyen hes. Just south they have reached the region of Hombleux, Eamery-HallorSs and Flavy-le-Meldeux. Between the Ailette and Aisne the towns of Clamency. Brayency, Braye, and Missy-sur-Aisne have been cap tured. On the Vesle the operations have extended eastward, and a crossing has been effected between Venteaux and- Jonchery, on a two and a-half mile front. HUN LINES RE\DJUSTED. Indication That Germans Are Prepar . ing to Make a Stand South of Scarpe River. With British Armies in France, Noon, Sept. 5.?South of the Scarpe a large portion of the German line is HUNS DESTROY MUNITIONS. . Hurried Retreat on Aisne Front Force Them to Explode Ammuni tion Dumps. ' With American Forces north of the Vesle, Sept. 5.?Violent explosions were heard along the German line this morning, observers reported. It is believed that the German-; are de stroying ammunition dumps. An j aviator reported a terrific explosion at S o'clock at Villersen-Prayeres on j the south bank of the river Aisne, di- j rectly north of Fismes. The base of j the Boches at Fismitte was occupied I by the Americans during the night, after it was evacuated by the Ger mans. I ALLIES REACH AISNE. - French and Americans Drive Germans From Vesle to Aisne. Paris, Sept. 5.?The Franco-Amer- j ican forces pursuing the Germans' north of the Vesle river, have reach-! ed the line of the Aisne. according toj advices from the front this morn-1 ing. ! SEED PRICES FIXED. _ I Average Recommended by Producers) Adopted After Conference With! State Food Men. - Washington. Sept. 4.?The stabiliza-j tion of cotton seed prices at the av- j erage recommended by the producers j has been adopted by the food admin- ' istrator after conference with the! State food administrators today. The prices of cottonseed in South Carolina is $72 in car lots, $69 fori wagon seed. The price of meal in South Carolina will be $53. The food administrator has applied I to the war industries board to re- ? vise the price of linters and any in crease in prices of linters will be ap- ; plied to reduction of meal. COTTON MARKET BROKE. Announcement That War Industries Board Will Take a Hand in Fixing Prices Followed by Panicky De-1 'cJine. New York. Sept. 5.?A heavy selling of cotton futures was gen eral on the opening of the market as the result of th<- announcement at Washington that the war indusries board has planned to bring about the stabilization of cotton prices. The first quotations were about five dollars a bale under last night's closing. GERMANS ADMIT RETREAT. "War Office Announces Retreat Under Allied Pressure From Flanders and I to ye Salients. Berlin. Sept. r>.?Between Ypres and LaBassee in th<- Lys salient tin British yesterday pressed forward against the new German lines, the war office announced. Between the Somme and the Ois<\ the statement adds, the Germans continued their movement out of the region of Rove The re-'r guards which the Germans left behind to retard the French. fol lowed the main body of the Germans, closely. 1 ?bed April, 1850. "B* 3xnrt 381. SD WILSON TO APPOINT COMMITTEE I TO CONSIDER STABIL1Z-? TSG PRICE. V Chairman Baruch ol* War Industries Board Makos Statement Concerning Staple?Short Crop Creates Prob lem. Washington, Sept 4.? The war in dustries board, with the approval of President Wilson, is soon to appoint a committee to consider the desirabil ity and feasibility of offering a sta bilization of cotton prices and other matters corrected with handiing the crop. This was announced tonight by Chairman Baruch. The announcement of another short crop of cotton, said Mr. Baruch's statement, raises in acute form the problem of satisfying the heeds of the nation as well as those of the al lies securing an equitable distribution for the purpose of winning the war. Involved in the distribution is the problem of bringing about a reason able stabilization of prices in the in terest of both the producer and the consumer." ; . ? Mr. Baruch said the committee to be appointed will study the present cotton situation, the problems of dis tribution, the marketing of low grade cottons and the desirability and feasibility of effecting a stabilization of prices." The committee, the chairman ad ded, will begin activities as soon as possible and will hold hearings at convenient points in the cotton pro ducing States and at , such other as may be fovnd necessary, so that interested parties can present their views." Announcement by the department of agriculture yesterday that the se vere drought n July and August had reduced the production forecast from 1").235.000 equivalent 500 pound bales as of June 25 to 11,137.000 bales as of August 25 was responsible for the' board's decision, which was under stood to have been approved to the supreme war council. After the department's forecast was made public, the price of cotton went up more than S10 a bale on the principal cotton exchanges of the country and the advance was largely maintained today. Proposals to fix zze price of raw cotton have been advanced from time to time since the goverment under took voluntary ^price fixmg with rep resentatives with various industrials, but strong opposition has been offer ers and members of . congress! from cotton growing States. WILSON COMMTTES SENTENCES. Negro Soldiers Conviected of Par tie! ition in Houston Riots Secure Executive Clemency. Washington, Sept. 4.?Death sen tences of ten negro soldiers who par ticipated in the riot at Houston, Tex as, August 23, 1917, have been com muted to life ;mprisonment by Presi dent Wilson. In six other cases the president affirmed the death sentences because the condemned men had been found guilty of having deliberately and with great cruelty murdered civilians. This action, announced today by the war department, concluded the cases of 29 negroes g.ven the death penalty for their pail in the riot. Thirteen were executed and the pres idents was called upon to review the findings in 16 cases. OLD DRAFT RULES APPLY. Few Changes to be Made. Says Gen. Cronder. Washington. Sept. 3.?No changes are contemplated in the basic rules governing the operation of the draft in the case of men included under the new age limits. This was indicated today by Provost Marshal General Crowder, who after a. visit to the White House with General March, chief of staff, explained that the prin ciples which prevailed in the selec tion of men between the ages of 21 and 31 would be retained in large measure for the guidance of those operating the selective draft machin ery. There will be some changes, how ever, in the details relating to men engaged in certain industries and more especially to men of mature age. Just what these are the government is not prepared to announce. Generals March and Crowder were summoned 4o the White House by the president, who wished to familiarize himself with all details of the man power measure. W hen arrangements will be made which automatically exempt railroad m^n and coil miners as a body can not yet be stated. Director General McAdoo is understood to be in favor of providing some method other than the decision of local boards for ex empting essential railroad employees. General Crowder said that under present plans the matter of exempt ing this class of workers would be in the hands of tl e district boards to be taken up by them after the question naires have been passed on by the lo cal boards, which he said ate with out jurisdiction to exempt a regis trant on the ground that he is an es sential industrial worker. Just what the changes in detail of selecting those >f the higher ages will be. General Crowder was not prepar ed to say. This information will be forth coming iater when all the ar rangements for making selections are promulgated. Portsmouth. Va.. Sept. 5. ?Forty men employed in the evacuation for he dry dock al the Norfolk navy yard were caught under a landslide this morning. Rescuers have 'recovered he bodies of five dead. od Fear not?Let ail the ends Thon ? MTER, S. C, SATUEK FRENCH DRIVE CONTINUES. -i ?HUNS BEING ST KADI I.Y DRIVEN BACK. ON AISNE FRONT. ! Advance Last Night and Today Made \ Steady Progress With Important Results. i Paris, Sept. 4.?The French yes | terday and last night continued tc ? push back the Germans to the east oi ! the Canal du Nord and between the i Ailette and Aisne rivers, it is omcia?j i announced. / v i The French took Capitre Wood ' northeast of Chevilly. and approach ed the town of Crosilles, three milei j north of Noyon. I North of the Ailette they reached j the outskirts of Coucy-le-Chateau am? i Justencourt. | i South of the river they drove east, I ward from Leuilly and attained tt I suburbs of Clamecy and Bray, j On the Aisne Bucy-le-Long was ! penetrated. Fifteen hundred prison ? ers were taken. I On the Vesle parties of Frencl j crossed at several points. BRITISH CROSS CANAL HOLD ON WEST BANK OF CANAI DU NORD SECURED TO DAY. _ British are Making an IrresistibSj Advance Beyond Drocourt-Quean! Line?Several Important Towns Oe cupied. London, Sept. 4.?In the push hajj yond Drocourt-Queant line the Britis^ { have reached the line of the-GanaldJ i Nord, says Gen. Paige's official state ! ment. North of the Arras-Cambrp I road they occupied the towns vj| Ecourt and St. Quentin. North 0 Peronne the advance carried tirjjS British through Yaux Wood abo^ Meisland. Slight advances were scos ed at other points. In Flanders ta j British are . . proaching Neuve Cha j pelle. Laveniie. Neippe and SailH sur-Lallys have been taken. CANAL DU NORD CROSSED. Great Ditch in Which Huns PI Great Trust to Check the British.^ London, Sept. 4. 1 P. M.?The Bri| ish have captured a hold o:i the wej bank of the Canal du Nord, takiij Ruamucourt and North Saiens-lel Marquien, say advices from the bj| tie front. Further along the T^ey-;are-^p*rte Inchy-en-Artois, Demiscourt ah< Hermies. Near the Somme the British cross ed the Canal at Haut-AIlaines, mor? than two miles north of Peronne From Sermies southward the BritisJ line is indicated as running west o Uuyualcourt-and a mile and a-hal east of Bertincourt. Midway be tween Nieppe and Sailly in the Ly salient the British captured the vil !age of Cr'oix-du-Bac. HUNS IN FULL FLIGHT. With British Armies, France, Noon i Sept. 4.?British troops were report I cd this morning to have taken tb j town of Manoeuvres, three and a ; half miles southeast of Queant, bu '< the capture has not been contirmd j The Germans are in full flight in thi j region of the Canal du Nord and ap [ pear more than ever disorganized. J j thousand more prisoners were cap j tured last night by Gen. Haig' I forces. BATTLE IN MACEDONIA. j London, Sept. 4.?The forces of tin ? Central powers on the morning o j September 2nd attacked the Alliei ! troops under cover of an intens? j bombardment on the left bank of th< i Vardar river in Macedonia, the Brit I ish official statement says. The ene i my was driven back by a counterat tack. SUB SINKS SUB. London, .Sept. 4.?The sinking of < j German submarine by a British sub j marine on patrol is reported by th< Central News. HUN SHIPS SEIZED. GERMAN OWNED STEAM SHU COMPANY TAKEN OVER BY GOVERNMENT. ' Germans and American Traitors Op crated Ships Under American Fla; to Supply German Raiders and Sub manies?Plot Finally Uncovered. Washington. Sept. 4.?On th; ground of German ownership, th< American Trans-Atlantic Company which until its shops were com man deered by the United States shippinf board in October. 1917, operated h oc^an trade of 11 steamships flyim the Stars and Stripes has been taker over by A. Mitchell Palmer, alier property custodian. Richard G. Wagner, formerly o Milwaukee, an American born citizen head of the concern for three years deceived the American government "with truly Prussian arrogance," a: well as British and French priz< courts as to ownership of property according to Francis 1?. Garvan, im vestigator for the custodian, win made public tonight a summary ol Wagoner's activities. The ships were in fad bought with German gold and the company was organized .i^'ht months .after the out break of hostilities with funds whior Count von BernstorlT, the Germar ambassador caused to he sent foi Wagener's benefit. Wagener, undei the examination of Mr. Garvan, pro tested the ships were America* owned until the last, but finally own ed up before the weight of evidence, ( : j W*t at be thy Country'*. Thy God'i I , SEPTEMBER 7, 19 E. tTIETII DIVISION FIGHTING AVITH GEN. HAIG IN FT/AX DERS. Division is Composed of South Carolina, North Carolina and Ten see Troops?Huns Hear Deadly tebcl Yell as They Flee. fadi ^Washington, Sept. 4.?The arrival Major General Graves and staff at livostok to take command of all terican forces fighting on the new tern front was announced by March today. Gen. March stat that the total embarkation of terican troops for all fronts, in iding the Siberian expedition, pass the million, six hundred thousand irk by August 31st. :.He identified the American unit Lriicipating in the Flanders advance the Thirtieth Division, composed troops from Tennessee, North Car lina and South Carolina. MGOfiUE REVILES WILSON. iman of illinois en der Protection of senate attacks govern ment. ashington, Sept. 3.?In a lengthj pared address or. what he called nofficial and personal government' ator Sherman of Illinois, Republi n, made a scathing attack in thf nate today on President Wilson an< e administration, particularly Col .'M. House, the president's persona iend and adviser. With ironical references to th< esident's recent statement that pol s is adjourned, the senator assert that, having elected the president est singlehanded," Colonel Hous< d a coterie of Texas politicians in the saddle and they arc do g politics in the sl me old way.' hder the- pretense of war powers l?pe sai<l, the administration is placin? ntrol of the .country in the hand: |a few politicians and labor lead s to be used relentlessly for th< ection of party candidates now am ? president in 1920. I denounce," he added, "a politi autocracy covertly engaged u n (he nation is m the stress c in undermining institutional civ Senator Sherman as "this alleged, un elected, unofficial assistant president.' Secretary Baker was referred to a "one who thinks of the war as 3,00-: miles away, talks glibly of quantit: production of combat airplanes, de lays the draft law amendment o 1918 three months, opposes universa training and says Washington's sol diers at Valley Forge were, drunkard; and chicken thieves, only to be de clared by executive proclamation t< be the most capable official that dis tinguighed functionary ever knew." Regarding Secretary Redlield, Sen ator Sherman said he had mad 'some sparkling contributions t< trade, including the shocking in for mation that the high cost of living was caused by too many deliver: wagons, an epic on fish and clams? along w;th a. sonnet cr two on sheei killing dogs." Former Secretary Pryan. the sen ator declared, resigned when he hat "played second fiddle long enougl and his power fo_r harm had waned.' Declaring the administration seek; even to dictate io Republican candi dates in Republican States, the sen ator said "Ford is to be made senate: from Michigan by executive order." Senator Sherman denounced wha he described as socialistic plans o "a coterie of politicians gilded anr plated by a group of . theorizing, in tolerant intellectuals." When Senator Sherman began t( speak, practically all the Democrats members left their seats and went t< th*? cloak roams. Most of the R* publicans paid close attention to tin speech. TREMENDOUS WAGE INCREJSI MILLION RAILROAD MEN RE CEIYE ADVANCE OF $25 A MONTH. Director General McAdoo Issues Or der Affecting Mostly Railroad Em ployees Receiving Less Than .Sl<:< Per Month. Washington. Sept. ;".?Nearly million railroad employees, including all clerks, track laborers, mainten ance way men to receive a wage in crease of $i'r. a month, the equivalent ol a dollar a day or twelve cents ai hour over pay they received last Jan uary 1 under the new wage order is sued today by Director General Mc Adoo.. Advances are effective Sep tember 1st. The order affecting half the rail road men in the [Jnited States and adding approximately one hundred and fifty millions to the payroll, is the second largest aggregate; wage in crease ever granted in American in dustrial history Most of the men covered by the order have- been mak ing b-ss than a hundred dollars a month. McAdoo Stops Gariiisheeing. Washington. Sept. -The garni sh"e'nc ol railroad employees' wages was forbidden tod iy by Dire/tor Gen eral McAdoo as a means of eliminat ing much legal work heretofore necessary. AI the snjiie time it war made plain that employees who do not pay their bills will be dismissed. A Tratte1?.'? THE TRCi 18. PANIC SEIZES HUNS. [driven out op wotan link they flee in confusion. j British Win Great Victory and Press! Pursuir of Disorganized Gei-j j (mans With Utmost Vigor?Huns} j Trying to Save Some of Army to i Make Stand Behind Canal du Nord. I With the British Army in France, j j Sept. 3, 4 p. m. (By the Associated! j Press).?The British victory in thei j battle of the Drocourt-Queant line seems complete. Without having de-1 j livered a single counterattack and j staggering from the blows adminis tered to them yesterday the Germans i during the night and early this morn ing were in full flight for the eastern side of the Canal du Nord. The enemy is trying to save what men and material ho can from the wreck in and behind one of the most i powerful defense systems ever devis j ed. The much boasted Drocourt Queant line, or, as the Germans call j it. the Wotan line, is totally shattered, j The British are driving far through it ad the Germans art- hurrying east | ward, leaving behind only pockets of ! machine gunners and even resistance from these is gradually melting away. Strong British forces are now fight ing their way down the Hindenburg line itself and are cleaning it up as they go. Meanwhile, a little south from here, another force is driving on the Hindenburg line frontally. The Hun has tasted disaster in the Drocourt line battle and now his dis organized and his badly depleted forces are working fast to prevent an even greater catastrophe overtaking them. The British are rapidly ap proaching and are close to the Canal du Nord, the territory behind which is even now under heavy fire from many British cannon. The foe knows well that this move ment contains a grave menace to I some of his forces and orders appar \ ently have been given to get them out with all haste. The Canal du Nord, where the Germans are retir ? ing, is simply a canal under construc tion and contains no water. It is \ lik? a railroad tunnel with the top ! off. It is SO feet across and GO feet deep, with its sides, for the most part, , gmnite walled, sloping slightly in ^ I ward toward the bottom. There may bo as hard fighting here as there was last year. { It was early in the morning, after a r night in which a mr-sr stubborn bat I tie was fought, that the Germans be . gan to show real signs of . generally . !cs-Prez, on the extreme flank was . taken, and the troops moved east l ward. But they did not go far as the . Germans in desperation had dammed the river Scarpe at Vitry-en-Artois , Ji.d flooded the lowlands in this lo . cality. Patrols entered Biache-St. Vaast. which soon was reported entirely captured. From "thi;-. general locality j I ;>n the north the British pushed j sharply forward. F]arly in the forc j noon airplanes reported no Germans I in any number west of Ecourt-St. [ j Quentin, which is east of Recourt and j ^edomont. where the British were j pushing on and overcoming the di minishing resistance. ? \ The first substantial indication that the Germans admitted defeat was when the Eritish troops entered Re eourt after having reached the out j -kirts last night. They had been in I j the town only a few* minutes when I the enemy artillery began shelling it , heavily from a distance. . The British drove down the Arras Gambrai road with ease today. One force, according to word received at . neadijuaiters. captured Inchy-en-Ar Tois; another occupied and cleaned up . the entire Puisy switch. ? While this was going- on a squad I ron of airplanes, discovering a large group of the enemy some distance tc = he east, managed to break through i the protecting German planes and , rained bombs down upon the masses. ( and this probably upset any idea the Germans had of making a determined ,j stand west of the canal, i Since that time airplanes report j only a few Germans visible for any i distance on the western side of the '! canal, end those observers flew over ,' the whole region at an altitude of , 'inly 200 or 300 feet. .! During the forenoon the British in : fantry moved forward so rapidly at I many p!a?es that they completely j outran their own artillery and prcss . j ed on with only machine guns pre , j ct ding them. Since then, however, , jthe guns have been brought up and are pumping shells at the far side of the canal, especially at the point where it is crossed by the Arras JCambrai road, for hero is a bridge and the concentration of fire undoubt edly is seriously hindering the ene my efforts to get his transports and his guns on tin- east side. The men, of course, can cross by scrambling down and up the sides, and probably by a lew crossings that have been thrown hurriedly over, al though at the monn-nt the existence o; ^uch crossings not known. It was after Inchy was taken that the British forces, among them the Royal .Marines am; naval battalions began ?'? drive to the^-outh past Moeu \ res in an effort to reach the Bapa ? ume-Cambrai road before the Ger mans fleeing along it Pronyille hav ing been taken during the night, the British from here worked southeast ward and closed the valley of the flirondello River to Germans desir ing to retreat thi' way. with the re sub that the enemy forces had to swing southward. then eastward, probabh along the direction of the Papnume-Cambrai road also. Some idea of the German disor ganization may be had from 'he fact thai n number i . crews of German howitzers captured were standing C SODTHRON. Established Jan's kf?* VoLXLVII. No. 7. WiNNlNS 6REAT VICTORY. BRITISH, FRENCH AND AMERI CANS CONTiNLE MIGHTY OFFENSIVE. Haig's Artillery Cats to Pieces Col umns of Retreating Enemy and j Lines Move Forward From Arras to Pcronne?Outskirts of Lens j Reached?Franco-American Troops j Dominate Alsne Plateau. _ ! From Flanders to Soissons the I British, French American forces j are keeping u]. v Hhout cessation j their strong offensive tactics against ! the Germans, who all along the bat j tie front are still giving ground, al | though at certain points not without ! strong resistance. Seemingly it is the full ?-calization of the peril he is in now that is prompting the enemy to put forth his every effort to avert i complete disaster. j Additional areas of territory which j long had been held by the enemy I have been restored; many thousands of Germans have been sent behind the lines to swell the great throng al-. ready there in prison camps and ! many of the enemy's dead lying up on the battlefield testify to his heavy casualties. Retreating columns of the Germans have been cut to pieces by the Brit ish artillery from captured vantage points before which the enemy was compelled to pass unsheltered from the fire of the British gunners. From the region around Arras southward to Peronne the British line has mov ed forward everywhere since Che fa mous Drocourt-Queant defense line was overwhelmed and left .in the rear. Eastward of the Drocourt line the British are nearing the Canal du Nord and Douai. Valenciennes and Cambrai have been further encroach ed upon by English, Canadian and Australian troops. East of Peronne the British line has been steadily pushed forward. Numerous towns and villages have fallen into the I hands of Field Marshal Haig's men, j notable among them Quea.nt, at the southern end of the Drocourt-Queant line. i To the south the French along the Canal du Nord are giving the enemy no rest and gradually are blotting out the remaining portion of the sa lient north of Noyoh while on the Soissons sector the French and Amer icans now are in control of the en j tire plateau dominating the Aisne, ! the Chemin-des-Dames and.the roads to Laon and La Fere.'^ j salient have ' taken Richebourg-St. Vaast and established themselves on iha line cf the La Basse road and be ; tween there and Estaires, having captured the last named place. Steen i werck and Wulverghem also are in J British hands and thus the great i salient is virtually wiped out. . Unofficial dispatches say that in j the region east and southeast of Ar j ras the Germans are retiring to a new [switch line running from Brebieres, j five miles southeast of Drocourt, J southward to Moeuvres. where it j joins the Hindenburg line near Gra | court. If this should prove true the j new line already seems menaced as i Field Marshal Haig's men virtually j are upon it at LeCIuse and Rumau ; court, southeast of Arras, and almost abreast of it at Barralle, three miles north of Mouevres. American Casualty List. j Washington, Sept. 5.?The army casualty list issued today totals 373, [as follows: Killed in action, 91; i missing, 69; wounded severely, 150; died from accident and other causes, 13; died of wounds. 11; died of dis ease, 4; wounded, degree undetermin ed, 32; died from airplane accident, 3: prisoner, 1. Wounded ' severely, Ernest L. Visanska, Charleston, S. C; John C. Ferguson, Jr.. Abbeville, S. C; Ed. Zeigler. Jamison, S. C; Al- ? Ien L. Mason, Arlington. S. C. Miss ing. Ivy W. Beverly, Con way, S. C. Killed, Landrum Allen, Gaffney, S. i around their guns which they had j blown up. Others complained that j they had had nothing to eat for four 1 days because of the great disorgan ! ization at their rear, j The lack of German shell fire was i explained in many instances when j gunners captured say they had no ammunition. Many times, they de ! clared, they cou-d have fired with ? open sights into the advancing Brit , ish, but they had no shells and could i not get any. ! The fighting this afternoon seems I to be more vigorous along the north ern part of the Hindenburg line than I elsewhere. The British are sweeping {along astride it from the point where j it joins the Drocourt line at Queant. I 'onsider.-:ble progress is reported and j "arge numbers of Germans have been killed cr taken prisoner. Thousands of prisoners are coming into the ; cages. One army had 6.000 Ger mans in it.-, cages this afternoon. How j many machine guns were captured \vill not be known for many days, hut there were thousands. The prisoners were of all sorts, in cluding cavalrymen, who had been dismounted and fought as infantry. The harti pressed German command ers took men from anywhere, no mat ter whit they were supposed to be doing, and put them in the line with rides ;?>-.<! machine guns in an effort to stem the tide. How many there :>ro it is impos sible 'o even estimate. The German formations which op nosed tie British have been literally torn to l it res anil the tearing still continues alone the Hindenburg line and to the north.