The Carlisle independent., 1918-08-01

but occupied no positions of impor- tance and were unable to disorganize in the least the defensive line Of che allies. By Wednesday the Gerrnsns were making their greatest effrts In this sector, trying to force their way toward Epernay But by this time the French were manifestly holding the upper hand. and they eounter-attacked eagerly and spiritedly, retaking every piece or ground which the Germans occupied by their desperate efforts Nearly ev cry attempt of the enemy to advance was repulsed almost before 1t started
 The swiftest and most complete check sustained by the Germans was east of Reims. between Pompelle fort and Main de Massiges. Expecting an easy victory there. they met with a crushing defeat at the hands of the French troops under General Gouraud This gallant commander, who lost an arm at the Dardanelles, had disposed his men with the utmost cleyerness When the German bombardment be- gan, one of the most terrific ever known. the French, except for machine gun crews in blockhouses. retired .o shelter Then the observers amour ced that the advance was starting, and instantly the enemy was swept by devastating fire from cannon, machine guns and rifles. The bloekhouses re tarded the Huns. large numbers of whom were killed, and the charging troops never entered the French line of resistance. coming to q standsttii at the wire entanglements, which vert loaded with dead bodies.
 The Huns engaged in this attack were fifteen elite divisions, with ten divisions supporting. Less than one third as many F'renchmen defeated them, and the French casualties were astonishingly few. The attacking Ger man divisions had to be relieved. but the French staid in their positions. happy and cheerful and more con1- dent than ever.
 The morale of all the allied troops. indeed. was of the highest in strong contrast to that of the enemy as re- vealed by the words and actions of prisoners. The spirit of the Americans engaged was shown viyidly by two in- cidents worth recording. On the first day. when e certain force of Yankees had been compelled to give ground. their commander was advised by q French general 10 let his men rest. as the retirement could have no serious consequences. The American respond ed that he could not accept the coup gel and was going to counter-attack at once. This he did. regaining the lost terrain and half a mile more to boot Another commander, in report ing the recapture of a number of towns, wired to headquarters: Met Boche on his line of defense. Sharp fighting. Boche turned tail and ran like h-l, pursued by our troops. Hope to have more prisoners" There were numerous instances of valor and nerve In the desperate fighting in which the Americans took part. These are the troops which the German papers as 
 and unit for serious operations.
 The French soldiers displayed their customary galsantry and det<rmina- tion, and the Italians on that front were not behind them in this. If more stress is laid on the bravery of the Americans, it is only because the oth CTS have proved themselves times without number in the last four years
 All the latest reports of the allies state that the situation is entirely sat isfactory and improving hourly.
 -A-
 At first it was thought by many that Ludendorff's offensive in the Marne region was not intended to be hts main effort but masked a plan to attack elsewhere. perhaps in Flanders. At the end of the week there were still some observers who believed this, but it seemed very doubtful. At the same time, 1t was hard to figure out how he could expect to derive any great bene fit from success where he attacked Even if he had attained his supposed objectives and captured Epernay. Chalons, the Mountain of Reims and Mont-Mirail he would be no nearer a decisive victory than before, and was certain to lose an enormous number Of men. Instead of turning westward to- ward Paris. he was attempting to move to the east and south and the road to the capital would still ba closed to him.
 If Ludendorff really plans an offen- sive in Flanders the British there are getting ready to meet it. Several times last week they advanced their lines, saking possession of positions that ma terially strengthened their defensea The British airmen were especially ac- tive and there were numerous bomb ing raids over territory held by tho Germans and on German towns.