The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1918-08-02
GROUND HEAPED
WITH GERMAN DEAD
$4,000 PRISONERS and GOO GUNS CAP
TURED GERMANS STILL RETREAT
ING.

TURED GERMANS STILL RETREAT
ING.
NJ Dawn of the fifth year of the great
war, sees Germany and her cOpartners
in this crime of the ages at bay, stead
Ally rttreating before the forces Of
civilization. The Turks are retiring
before the British in MeROpOtamia and
Palestine The Bulgars are retreat
ing before the French i'm Macedonia.
The Austrians are withdrawing before
the Italians in Albania and in Italy.
The Germans are fleeing before the
Allies Id France.
Nowhere is the discontinue of the
Germans more marked than On the
western front in the Marne salient,
where their fifth drive came to grief
ten days ago after the failure OF her
four precious efforts To reach the
channel ports or Paris. Here bril-
liant offensive by General Foch not
only has halted their thrust toward
the French capital but is steadily
pushing them back tO the Aisne-
Americans are taking a leading
part i'm this action, being most num-
erOus on the southern sector along
driving the Germans north on the
west, il conjunction with the French
they arc pushing them east and are
closing ON Fere-en- -Tardenois, the cen
trail base for the Germans in this
region, now only three miles away.
The Germans have finally been
driven out Of The forests that abound
on the north bank OF the Marne and
are stubbornly fighting a. rear guard
action d. they retire They are tena-
ciousay cIinging to scissors and the
heights of The Vesle west Of Rheims
to keep the pocket open for the with
draWal of their troops
There was u great slaughter Oh the
Germans in the sector south of Sois-
sons, where the Americans advanced
over ground piled with German dead.
The French announce that since july
$4,000 Germans and 600 guns have
been captured
Officers had great difficulties in hold
ing back the victorious doughbOys ia
order Ito keep the line straight The
Americans wanted to 60 to Germany,
Regimental commanders had tn send
couriers forward tD call back some
units, while one company cot so faI
ahead that an airplane was used tu
carry the restraining message.
The Germans everywhere along thH
'Iine are panicky They left their arr
xsF v,oo1Ips-1 v~ff40r oT1d an1n-
plies, and sprinted eastward The
area captured by the Americans be-
tween the Aisne and the Ourcq had
more than 750 artillery pieces OF
various calibers i'm it.
I'VE were 10 busy chasing Germans
we haven't had time to pay any at
tentfon I'd the stuff they left behind
them. said one officer.
Slightly wounded doughboys, happy,
grinning and dirty, lay about I'm groups
after the advance was voluntarily
halted, swapping experiences and dis
playing souvenirs.
I'VE were just rushed into the
trenches" said one youngster. We
were only there half an hour when
the captain said Boys, in just 20
minutes we 60 over the top. There
il time for every man To have "a good
smoke
Before we reached their trenches
the Heinies were running Tit sure
gave me glorious feeling to see the
Heinies hop out like rabbits. we
couldn't help laughing at EN-.
Another doughboy, wounded in the
head after he had chased the Ger
mans four and quarter miles,
carried his automatic rife i'm his
good hand, ready to use it if he had
the opportunity He encountered
three pals all Of whom had been
wounded more seriously than IT,
He brought them back to the Ameri-
can lines, protecting them with his
rifle.
The cooks belonging to some Of the
advancing units could not drag their
field kitchens fast enough to keep up
with their customers and furnish
them with lot food
'..How's things going?' asked one Of
the cooks of "a returning d0ughbOy
who had been wounded.
sGot em goin' faster than H. M
was the reply I got bunch, but a
shell scratched me and the doc made
me come back I'D the luck"
Another group slightly wounded
cursed the luck that put them out of
the fight
We'll BE- fixed UP all right and
ready To mix with EN- i'm couple
of weeks" said a corporal But
the darned war will be over before
then by the way the boys are goin'
after EN- Now # gotta ct some
more souvenirs for the folks back
home
I asked a group Oh doughboys III
the tanks helped them any
Say, the tanks are lit right, but
they've got to get some that1l run
Ira high if they're gonna keep up with
us," he said "We got miles ahead
of em this morning"
The doughbOys declare that they
no longer have any respect for the
Germans, except their running ability.
German units which opposed the
Americans around SoissOns were
among the best of the Kaiser's troops.
Prisoners say the attack took them
anawares Near scissors the Ger
mans contemplated minor attacks
themselves, starting their barrage l5
minutes before the Allied drive start
ada The Americans charged right
through the enemy barrage and drove
.he Germans from their guns.
The poiIug everywhere are delight