Evening star., 1918-07-24

1y being fearful that. fhe future wiz
see him driven back much farther.
A drenching downpour over the
greater part Of the southern battle
neid hindered the operations OF both
the. allies and the Germans last night
and today. Further north. however.
French troops executed a remarkably
brilliant minor operation between
Morevil and Montdidier. attacking
and capturing three villages, around
which some very heavy fighting oc-
Cured in March and-ApriL They are
Mailly-Raineval. sauvillers and Aub-
viliers. all situated on heights over
looking the Avre river. Their posses
sion is Of great Importance.
British Garry Out Raids.
LONDON, July 2l-Raids wers car
ried out by the British troops last night
In the region south Of Bucquoy and
northwest Of Albert, says today's war
taken. A German raid on the British
lines northeast Of Bethunc, On the
Flanders front, was repulsed
Reach Important Railway.
LONDON. May 15.-Immediatsly
south OF the River Ourcq, on the Aisne-
Marne battle front, the advancing
French forces are reported to have
had very heavy fighting today. Never
theless they have succeeded in reach
Ing several places on the railroad be-
tween Armentieres and Cotncy. This
part Of the railroad IL moro than six
miles to the east of Neuilly-St. Front.
The situation along the River Marne
was unchanged today except that the
some of the French troops across the
river south of vincelles and north Of
DormanB.
Progress Of French Attack,
The French attack near Montdidier
today was very well executed and
successful minor operation, and, ac-
cording to DISPATCHES received this aft
ernoon from the battlefront, was pre-
sumably designed as a diversion, aim
Ing at keeping the enemy's mind occu-
pied and preventing him from sending
large reinforcements to the south
At the same time It also efrect.d
an important local Improvement in the
line at sector where every advance
means better protection for Amiens
and Paris. The French attacked ON q
four-mile front after an hours bonn
captured all three villages Of Sauvii-
lers, Aubvflle and Mailly-Rainevnl
within fifteen minutes.
Haven't Time to Count Captives.
About a thousand moro prisoners have
been courted by the entente allies In the
past twenty-four hours. OF this number
about half have been credited to the
Americans and British, but as a matter
Of fact the allies just now are far too
ing of prisoners. Fighting of the fercest
character continues and the present toss
and-fro struggling all along the Sois,
sons-Rheims loop Is very close, strenuA
Gus work and probably not so many
prisoners are being taken as would be
the case in direct advance or q re-
treat action.
There has been little change In the
past twenty-four hours in the appear-
ance Of Soissons- Rheims pocket as ID
appears on the map. What changeS
have been made there are all to the
advantage Of the allies. The French and
Americans have gained further ground
in the bottom of the pocket. The
French also are pressing hard on the
long line south of scissors and the map
shows advances OF a thousand yards or
SO at several points.
The expectations Of those who
thought that the Germans were pre-
pairing to give up Immediately the
entire Soissons-Chateau Thierry-
Rheims salient and retire to the
been fulfilled.
Fighting for Every Foot. K
According to today's dispatch, the
German Is fighting his hardest to
hang on to every foot of ground he
has and is constantly counter attack,
ing with surprising momentum, both
on the Marine and along the west side
Of the salient.
It is true. OF cour.a. that this Ii
exactly what the German would be
likely to do II he were actually In
the process of retreat, but the allies
so far have had no definite indication
that the German has made up his
mind that general retirement viii
be necessary.
The Germans are burning villages
and some small dumps. but presum-
ably further prodding will be need
ed. to push him back to the Rivef
vesle.
Meanwhile the entente allies, not
only the infantry. but also the artfl-
lery and bomb-dropping aviators, are
working without rest at the business
Of making either stand or with
drawal dffiicult for the Germans.
Germans Claim Success.
BERLIN, via London, July zs.-
British attacks at many points are
reported in the German official statea
ment issued today. These. 1t Is de-
clared, were repulsed.
a general Stacking In the fighting
on the Aisne-MArns front II also re-
ported. The Germans claim to have