The Washington herald., 1918-06-03
Offensive showed.

The offensive has lost its momentum.
1t is now a mile-by-mile forward
shouldering. against ever-increasing
columns Of fresh French veteran
troops who, not content with stem
ming the tide, are determined to roll
II back. The day was marked by many
an heroic attempt by the poilus TO do
this. and a series OF marked sue
cesses crowned their valor.
In its day and night reports the
Paris war office was able to announce
the recapture OF important places.
The net result of the day was that.
while the invaders had gained come
new ground in the center and on both
flanks, notably the right, southeast OF
Noyon. they had been thrown back
decisively at many points; were forced
to relinquish villages. woods and
heights taken in the first onrush, ana
had paid fearful price for what they
did gain.
At the time when German detacn-
ments were finally wrestling Faverc
les fro mthe French. others were n
ing vainly to capture Corey and
Troesmes. both TO the souJh Of
Faverolles
French Success.
Then the German center tried 70
tackle the approaches OF Villers-
Cotterets from further south to tn.
west OF Neully St Front. which is in
their hands A French counter-at-
tack threw them back. and in doing
IL, re-captured Hill 163. an import
ant strateEis height.
Still further southwest. toward tn.
French lines between Torcy and
Bouresches. Both times they went
down TO defeat.
While from a strategic viewpoint
the approach 10 Villers-Cotterets
was the most important of the day.
the days attacks netted the Ger
mans the most ground in the angle
between Noyon and scissors, where
their right flank has linked up thu
Champagne and Picardy lines Here
in spite OF what Berlin describes a.
violent resistance" they pressed
the French back a considerable dis
tance. as far as Carlepont Wood
Further south they captured .
height east of MouIin-Sous-Touva
l3 miles northeast of Compeigne.
another northeastern rail-key Of
Paris
Berlin also claims the capture Of
the heights of Passy and Courchanps.
after throwing the French back over
the Savieres sector Of the Ourcq. in
the direction OF La Ferte-Milon.
At Rheims, Paris reports, the sit
uation is unchanged. Berlin Indirect
ly admits the loss Of Fort de Ia
Pompelle bv saying Il was "tempor-
arily occupied" French trenches were
penetrated near Fort st. Leonard.
90 Phng,,,a -
statement asserts
Claim Z. 9. Depot Captured.
Capture OF tremendous booty is
claimed by the German War once.
with the taking Of a "French-Ameri-
can depot near Fere-en-Tardenois,
the town on the Ourcq whence tho
original German center dashes south
ward to the Marne
The Crown Princes drive, after the
center ad reached the Marine. turn
cd abruptly TO the west There r.
every indication that the Germans
mean to use the Marine only as =
cover for their left flank, and to pro-
ceed. IL they can, along the right
bank as far as Paris. They are thus
doing exactly the opposite from what
Won Kluck did with his flank in 1915
He turned east after reaching the
Marine, and Il was the fatal move.
With their left based on the Marn&
the Germans are now endavoring 70
shove their whole new front facing
westward. against Paris. apparently
with q view to ultimate cooperation
by a southwark swing of their forces
in the Picardy salient.
Proceeding along the right oank Of
the Marne, their left would soon
threaten MeauX, twenty-seven miles
slightly northeast OF Paris.
The center astride the Ourcu is aim
ing at Villers Catterets, and. incidcn-
tally, La Fore-Milon. another rail
point OF importance and a key TO
Meaux from the north.
Their right. proceeding from Sois-
sons and Ncyon as bases. Is bending
might and main to reach Compiegne.
forty-ope miles northeast OF Paris.
generally regarded to be the rsl gate
&c the capital from the north.