The state herald., 1918-08-09
AMERICANS AND PoiLLUs POUR
ACROSS vEsLE AND AlsNE As
socHEs HASTEN FLIGHT.
MANY TOWNS ABLAzE
cHARNEL PATH LEFT BY DEG
PERATE HUNS As ALLIES Ex.
TEND LINE FROM RHEIMS.
weatern Newspaper Union New. Service.

Washington. Aug. 5.-Allied tIoops
In the Aisne-Marne salient reaped "the
full fruits OF victory" on Saturday,
when the enemy, who met his sec.
ond great defeat on the Marne, was
driven in confusion beyond the line
of the Vesle,'' Gen. Pershing reported
in his communique.
The German retreat continues un-
abated, with the allies everywhere in
hot pursuit. Apparently, the situation
now has resolved itself into race for
the northern bank of the Aisne river
by the Germans, who have been eyict
ed from strategic positions along the
Vesle river, in the center of the line
and directly east OF Rheims. which
seemingly renders necessary that they
put the Aisne between themselves
and their purguers to escape further
large losses OF men made prisoner.
Just how large this bag Of captives
is at present cannot be -eckoned, but
unofficial advices from Paris assert
that when the figures are made public
they will thrill the allied world. Gen.
Pershing in his communication says
the Americans alone have taken $500
prisoners, and, in addition. l32 guns.
American losses are reported compar-
atively small.
After hard fighting the Americans.
aided by the French, have succeeded
in taking Fismes. once Germany's
great ammunition ana supply depot.
midway on the railway between Sois.
sons and Rheims. while to the east at
number of places along the Vesle
river the French have crossed the
stream, driving the enemy northeast
ward.
East Of Scissors allied troops have
negotiated the passage OF the Aisne
and are In position to harass the en-
envy as he endeavors to straighten out
his limo in conformity with that run
ming northwestward.
So fast has been the retreat In the
center that already some elements OF
their forces have succeeded In reach.
ing the northern bank OF the Aisne
and getting numbers of their big guns
across with them. All through the
the salient towns are still ablaze be-
hind the retreating Germans, and
even cornfields have been set afire In
order to prevent the allied troops
from garnering the ripened crop.
With the Vesle at freshet and the
Germans unable to ford 1t. they stood
with their backs to 1t and gave battle
for their lives. Most Of them were
killed and the remainder made pris.
oner. One Of the most important ms-
neuvers north Of the vesle was the
penetration by the French to the vii.
lsge Of La Neuvillette. which releases
the German hold on the northern out
skirts Of Rheims. and seemingly do.
livsrs the cathedral city from the Ger.
man menace.
With the Germans now thoroughly
vanquished thus far on the Soissons.
Rheims salient. eyes are being turned
TO the regions in the northwest on
both sides Of Amiens. Here the French
and British are keeping up their hard
pressure against the armies OF Crown
Prince Rupprecht OF Bavaria and have
forced them ON two highly important
sectors TO retreat. Southeast OF
Amiens. on the old Montdidisr sector,
the Germans have fallen back across
tho Avre river over wide front.
while northeast OF Amiens, In the re-
gion Of Abort. q similar retrograde
movement has been made across the
Ancre The German official commiini.
cation In admitting the withdrawal
near Albert declares the maneuyei
was carried out without Interference
by the British.
There again has been considerable
activity on the Italian mountain front,
where at several points the Italians
have attacked and defeated the Aus
trians.
With tho French Army In France.
Aug. 3.-Soissons has been rctaksn
and the valley of the Crise has been
crossed.
The allied line last evening runs
from Hommiores to soissons. thence
to Bcllcu. the valley OF tho Crise,
ChAcrisc and Arcy.St. Rcstitue,
through the center Of the forest OF
Nesles to the village OF tho same name
and through the center OF the fores,
OF Rheims to Lagory. y'Hery and Ira.
merry. North OF tho last.namcd three
places. French cavalry has advanced
another mile to Bois lie Moline and