Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-23

, part of new purpose. II that is true,
the purpose was to save their skins.
In the swing eastward the French con-
tinued to press forward east Of Neuilly-
st. Front.
Further to the north early Monday
morning the Americans launched
strong attack with tanks and French
cavalry south Of Soissons. tightening
their hold on the heights south of that
city Scissors and the railroad yard
| there are under gunfire control of our
| ,roops. and the city could be taken, but
| that is not at present a part of General
Eoch's plan Il Is believed 1t may be
| recalled In this connection that Chateau
Thierry fell into our hands without
fght, which would, perhaps, have de-
molished the city. 1t was won by
strategy.
| Kaiser's Troops Fight strongly
Despite the large numbers of prisoners
taken when the attack started the re-
| serves. which are the Kaiser's crack
troops, are fighting strongly south of
Soissons and west Of Rheims These
shock troops seldom surrender. and the
scenes of battlehelds show that they
fought to the end.
Here Is one instance to show the way
these Prussians fight. A lieutenant told
me that while leading a squad against
a machine-gun nest he placed men to
eank the enemy position. There were
four men there The Americans killed
all but two, who. despite the advance
| of the Americans from all directions
kent firing. and the lieutenant had to
shoot the gunner through the head be-
fore he would stop. Then he placed his
pistol against the head Of the German
D., corporal remaining and forced him to
show the Americans hcw to work his
gun. which was then turned against the
fleeing Germans.
It is not to be supposed however. that
all the kaiser's troops will fight to the
last like that. The majority will not,
but the motto of the Frussians as told
me by one of their officers. is, I'VE will
win the war or all go to hell"
1t Is this sort of fighters that the
American troops have been driving back
so successfully south Of scissors. in
what has been one of the btterest fight
in the whole war.
Yankee Morale Improves
The morale Of our troops is getting
better every day. IL that were possible.
They have always had the hunch that
they could beat the Germans man to
man. and in this open warfare they are
their hunch. 1t Is difficult to make them
fight only as far as an objective. and
rest there, but when they get started
they simply pound the German lines
until overwhelming numbers halt them
Then they take breath and get assist
ance and go ahead again.
There is but one spirit throughout the
American units and that is the Germans
must be kept on the defensive and never
receive enough of a breathing spell to
prepare another drive. There is one
significant thing growing out of this
success. The Americans. Of course
wanted to fight under General Pershing S
direct command. There Is no use hid
ing the fact that when they first came
out here they were a bit sore. because
they wanted a big "all-American show.
Confidence In Foch
But that feeling is gone now. Through.
out the American ranks there Is supreme
confidence in General Foch. who Is now
hero to our men as we'll as to the
French That feeling is general now in
all the Allied armies. The Americana
know that they are no longer side
J show and feel honored to be an inn
portant part OF the great machine d.
rected by doughty Foch. This means
l perhaps, more than appears on the sur
face.
The Allied command has requested
American correspondents to be careful
in their predictions and conservative II
/ announcing results. which will first b
&. outlined in the communiques. But 1t /
safe to say. and the American peopl
a may well know, that the end Of this sue
. cess Is not yet.
The fight which started on Thursda
| inp hnc
3 phase The first phase consisted Of tn
= French and American surprise attack o
d Thursday. The second phase was tn
o counter-attack Of the Germans. takin
e place Friday and Friday night. TIL
1 third phase was the resumption of tn
s advance of the Allies. which began agai
: Saturday and still continues.
The battle Is fast developing into tn
4 greatest struggle of the war. French
y Americans. British and Italians are no'
d engaged on a front reaching from Sois
o sons to east of Chalons, or about a hun
dred miles.
n In all these phases 1t has been tn
: part of the Americans to play bi
n role. In the surprise attack 1t happene
3 to he Americans who pushed forwar
q furthest south of Scissors. In haltn
a the German counter-a;tack the ferces
blows were parred by our men.
n |
a faster than Uncle Sans fighters.
Tribute should be paid to the part tina
:. our aviators have played in the fighting
- They have inflicted heavy losses on tn
enemy. Our observation planes rendere
invaluable service in las. weeks battle
e The Allied bombing machines cause
J.. heavy German losses by destroyin
Il bridges over the Marine, and yesterda
;, our pursuit machines were lowering thic
over the Marne to prevent Germa
q bombers from interfering with the cross
- ing of Allied troops.
l. Cared for German Wounded
IS On the outskirts Of the city the res
i Dental districts were in much bette
o shape. Here were found perhaps thre
8 score persons who had stayed on throug
all the hell that had ragged there Anon
y them was Nine. de Prey, eighty-seve
& years old. to whom home had NEAR
= more than life. She had occupied he
d seven weeks caring for German wounc
pHOTnPJAYS