Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-06-04
BATTLE FOR PARIS.
ate of the French Capital Is No" In
the Balance.


The Germans have reached the
Marne river and are now virtual!
hammcr!ng at the gates Of Paris. even
more seriously than in the fall OF 1914
when Von klucks army all but cap
turcd the French capital. :.
The disIatChcS Of the past Weeh
have not been very comprehensive.
They have indicated very Clearly tha'
I'M, Germans were making rapid heau-
WAY into Allied territory, but they
have given but little information as 10
Allied resistance. The whole situation
has been involved in OhScnrity tiGi'
waS virtually lmpcnetrable.
Now L appears that as the result Oh
the drive which was commenced OH
| MONDAY OF last week, the Germans
have made almost uninterrupted pro-
.r,Ss to the Marnc river distance ol
more than twenty-five miles from the
starting point. They have apparently
captured fOrty-iivc or fifty thousano
prisoners. innuncrable guns and mil
Itarv supplies Of all kinds, and they
are within less than fifty miles oi
Paris.
The drive Was made over front or
thirty miles, from SolSSons on the
west to Rheims on the east, down TO
chateau Theirry on the Marne TO the
south. Soissuns was captured early IN
the drive, and although the Germans
had captured number OF fortlflca l..
,IunS on the western OUTSKIRTS OIL
Rheims the city itself had not iallen.
Ten more or less important towns are
mCludcd i'll the territory already over
rum by the Germans.
This las, big offensive appears to
have been attempted with all the eie-
mrnts of a surprise, and Il most in
SidiuuS surprise at that. win the op-
losing forces spread out over line
extending from Flanders TO Switzcr-
land. and the bulk Of the allied re-
serves disposed 50 as TO be within
sir",.y reach ui such point a* tho Ger
mans might seem to most seriously
threaten, the big battle was com
m, need with Il comparatively unim-
purtant thrust on portion OF the line
that was not considered especially
danSt rouS.
The German attack on the original
line WAS commenced near traonnc. OH
tn, .\iSnc river. with only six ar seven
divisions. These had been concentrate =
I'd IN woods on the north bank al the
\iSn" and the concentration had not
attracted the serious attention OF the
allied iirmcn. These divisions pushed
forward over the allied lines with but
slight check. one wave coming after
another, and other German divisions
following close into the gap. the Allies
gave back steadily, losing many thou
sands of prisoners.
IL is said that the Germans made
larger use of gas shells than In any
previous battle. and that the allied
troops were overwhelmed for many
miles in the rear. But 1t is not to be
understood that the German advance
was unresisted. The invaders paid
dearly for every foot Of ground they
ithe 1a,lies held their 6@iHi' 6@iHi'f%STtffff WITH sfhb:
bornness that the fiercest efforts Of thu
| Germans were not able to overcome.
AS TO just what are dispositions o.
| General Foch and where his reserve:
| are is not definitely known: but there
| seems 10 bc n common understanding
| that notwithstanding the rapid ant
| extensive advance of the Germans. the
| real battle Of this movement Is to bt
fought along the banks of the Marine
III defense of Paris. and that this bat
| lie has been commenced.
London, Paris and Washington mill
| tary experts are of the opinion tha
| the battle now on will continue fol
| weeks, and that American trooEs viii
| figure in il quite extensively, Is Ger.
| tain.