Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-05-27

Germans Open NelU
DriUe on TIUO Fronts

Continued from Page One
tions many miles from the Pi-
Cardy and Flanders battlefelds.
but there is every evidence that
he failed to do so.
The presence of British
troops in that sector (revealed
today by the British War Office
for the first time) shows that
General Foch, the Allied gen
eralissimo, had anticipated
German effort in that region
and had moved British re-en-
forcements southwark to help
the French meet it.
The German line on the
thirty-lve-mile sector between
Rheims and scissors lies
nearer to Paris than at any
other point with the exception
Of their front in the Noyon-
Montdidier sector, on the SOUTH
ern flank Of the Picardv salient.
Rheims is seventy miles
northeast of Paris. Soissona
which lies upon the Aisne
River. is about iifty-five miles
from Paris. The German front
in that region bends northwest.
ward from a point north of
Rheims. crossing the Aisne.
River at Berry-au-Bac. Thence
it swings in a nOrthWpstcrly
direction past the heichts of
the Aisne (Chamin-dcs-Damcs)
sector, passing scissors somo
! distance to the north.
The Rheims-Soisson theatre
lies some twenty to thirty
miles north of the Marine
River, where the Germans re-
ceived their first decisive de-
feat in the war, when Paris was
saved and the German hordcs
of Won Kluck were sent roll
ing back to positions on the
AiSne River.
Americans on Front
/ Soissons is about ten miles -Outh
and west of the former southern OK
trcmity of the Picardy battle front,
in the vicinity Of St. Gobain forest,
where the German big gun ehclling
Paris at long range is located.
Rheims is about thirty-fvc miles to
the east and south, the front sud-
denly vcering sharply to the cast
ward before Scissors. This front
includes the famous ChCmin-dcs-
Danes sector, where American troops
have been in the line for somo time.
The Apremont forest, mentioned
in the Paris communique. is just
east of St. Mihiel and adjoins the
American Toul front. American
troops are holding parts Of the line
on the Wocvre plain and in the Vicin-
ity of Aprcmont. Recently the
Americans engaged in hot combat
with the Germans around Apremont
The French have been compelled
to bear the hrunt of the new Ger
man pressure on the Flanders front
They hold Locre, which was ono of
the points of attack, while their po-
sitions in the sector of Noormezcclc
were also under assault. This front
under attack is almost five miles
wide.
Both of these Belgian villages lie
in the hill district southwest Of
} Ypres, not far from the Franco-Bcl'
gian frontier.
Coordination of Allies
British troops are now operating wlti
the French in Champagne, on tn" lin,
south of the present PiCardy front, Mar
shal Haig's official report shows.
This is the first intmation that British
forces were operating south of the Avrr
and is accepted as further indication "l
General Fochs policy OF coordination
. of all Allied forces.
. The weather has improved and fight
, ing conditions are better. Prisoners
without exception, are speaking lO1
Field Marshal Won Mackensens be nl
J on the west front and insisting that h,
will have charge Of major operation. !
is also rumored that German troops
have been withdrawn from the Balkan
, for use on the west front during The
r last twenty-four hours.
y correspondent just returned from
an extensive trip among the British
French and American troops in the baCl
areas reports the fighting spirit every
, where is perfect. lIverybody's head i
up and all are thoroughly confident tina
the Germans will have little success il
, their new offensive.
New Drive on Italy
In connection with the new blows b
the Germans on the western front it
a now reported from a Swiss source tina