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LATEST DEVELOPMENTS OF GREAT WAR The latest Associated Press summary of events on the western front is as follows followsThe The grip of the Germans on northern France has been loosened and the process of herding them back to their borders is proceeding at an increasingly rapid pace under the allied lash t Since the beginning of the July offensive which initiated the loosening process the allies have pushed the enemy back a maximum of fortyfive miles from the Ancre near Albert to the tip of the present AngloAmerican wedge at If Gateau GateauA A scant twentyfive miles more will bring them on this line to the Belgian frontier south of Mau Ixuge but long before that point is readied the pressure on all sides if continued at the present rate will have resulted in the clearing of the enemy from virtually all French territory and a great part of Belgian soil soilThe The Germans indeed are already carrying out a general retreat but it is a retreat under pressure uid although skillfully conducted is bound to cost Uiem heavily in men and material materialGeneral General Ludendorff patently 1ms been desirous of withdrawing to a shorter line where he cyuld reorganize his forces but the steady unre ¬ lenting pressure which Marshal Foch has applied all along the front has made it impossible for him to detach himself for sucli an operation He cannot break contact with his adversary as he would like to do and consequently is obliged to fall back Klowly fighting hard and losing heavily in Ws backward course coursefLast fLast nights developments and those of today along the wide battle front only served to accentuate th extent of the German retreat and the acceleration of its pace The official reports reveal the British and Americans cooperating with them still widening the great wedge in the German line southeast of Jambrai a process in which the French to the south are notablyGeneral aiding notably General Petaiiis troops have pushed to the River Oise to a point almost as far north as Guise where they join up with the British and Americans who are rapidly Hearing the important railway junction of Wassiguy south and east of Ie Cateau CateauThis This sensational drive in the center is matched in efficacy however by the terrific pressure of the French armies south of Laon and along the line north of the Aisne and in the Champagne This movement in conjunction witli the drive to the north is making It inevitable that the Germans retire from Laou and the great St Gobain massif The withdrawal indeed appears to be under way here as elsewhere
