The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1918-08-30
Allies Continue Their Advance in
Picardy Steadily but
More Slowly.
ROVE AND N0Y0N IN DANGER
First American Field Army 10 Formed
Situation in Austria and Russia
Improved-Man-P Power Bill In
troduced In the Senate.
BY EDWARD w. plckARo.

Moving more slowly but steadily and
with determination, the allies last
week pushed the Germans further
back In Picardy. General Won Boehm,
the Hun retreat specialist" having
been placed In command on the Somme
front. put up an increasingly strong
| resistance to protect his withdrawal,
and the fighting became rather local
| lied. The flercest struggle was toward
the south end of the battle line. where
the French were forcing their way to-
ward Noyon. Overcoming tremendous
| resistance, they drove the Germans
| from most of the massif or heights of
Lassigny early in the week. and also
moved forward in the Disc valley.
Then they gained secure footing on
| the Thiescourt plateau and thus dom
mated most of the country northeast
of them for miles. This movement and
the unceasing pressure of the British
from the northward imperiled the en-
emy's position in Roye. although he
chung with desperation TO that city
and to Chaulnes further north. Along
much of the line he was holding he
had the advantage Of the old trenches
and wire entanglements built by him
prior to July. 1915.
Whether Won Boehm would elect to
try TO make prolonged stand there,
or fall back on the much stronger
Peronne- Noyon line was not revealed.
but observers believed he would choose
the latter course and the fact that
he was withdrawing his troops north
of Albert strengthened this view. He
evacuated the towns of Beaumont
Bucquoy, taking up positions on
heights more easily defended. Along
the Somme, on both banks. the British
with the able assistance of some
American troops have been advancing
slowly, taking Bray and Etinehem.
~
In the advance on Roye and Noyor
from the southwest the French have
been fighting over extremely Difficult
ground with numerous ravines tina
: furnish cover for the innumerable ma
+. chine guns the Germans have been Us
ing. But the French kept bringing u
their artillery and cleaning out thes
nests, and long before the end Of tn
week they had taken Ribecourt. o
? the Oise and had Noyon under cor
| iinual fire, rendering II almost unter
5 able.
. On the Scissors Reims front IN
T fighting was mostly confined to repea
: ed but futile attacks on the American
at Ffsmes. Ffsmette and the neighbo
, ing region. Artillery Of both sides wa
a very active along the Nesle river.
= -
, Although the Picardy offensive VIZ
= slowed up somewhat. army officers 81
no indication of letting down on n
part of Marshal Foch. On the col
trary, they predict that another gre,
drive will come soon. either In Fla
ders or between the Disc and Scissor
and expect movements of far create
scope in the near future. The Ge
man high command seems TO have a
| cepted deieat ana 20 De trying 10 X
: out of its difficulties as best II ma
D The effect of this on the morale OF Il
e soldiery Is quite evident In the pri
oners taken. and its effect In German
I Is reflected in the press, which admi
failure on the west front, as els
: where.
Early In the week Ii was announce
+ that the First American field army. Z
: kve corps, had been constituted wit
I General Pershine as commander.
e Is understood that this army will b
: tself hold the eastern part Of the lin
e | 10 Alsace, and some officers believe a
= sll-Americen drive east Of yerdun ma
Npe soon.