The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-07-29
THE BRATrEBoRo DAILY REFoR,1ER MONDAY, JULY 20 1918

that the line surrounding the salient
has been shortened by 10 miles through
American and allied advances, being
now "a miles long. French advances
today on the Marine angle will still fur
Their shorten the battle front and re-
strict the enemy's field of maneuvre.
The principal portions of General
March s statement follow:
1.-THE lines around the south of Sois-
sons are still in the same position that
they were last Wednesday, when /
talked to you. The distance across
from the lines at scissors to those
near Rheims is exactly as it was when
our counter offensive began.
The general driving back of the
German forces has been toward the
center of the salient. The falling back
has been on line which remains APP
proximately perpendicular to the rail
road line through Fere-en- Tardenois.
There have been local attacks by
| the Germans, particularly at Grisolles
against the. French and at Epieds
against the United States forces.
Epieds was taken and retaken by our
forces and the Germans four times, by
successive counter attacks, but it fl
nally remained in American hands, and
while it delayed their advance there,
| it only delayed it; we are going for
ward steadily.
"On the Marine, east of Dormans, the
progress of the allied forces has been
difficult because the terrain there is
| very difficult. The hills are PERCEPTIONS,
and the country is very heavily wooded.
| .sThe enemy's south flank southwest
of Rheims has been the scene of very
| dashing little advance by British rein
foreements, who went forward ~
miles on a four-mile front. This adj
vance is a marked source of danger
for the enemy as, of course, there is
a chance of getting his troops far
Their south in a pocket, and we already
| find that the French at that point are
beginning to advance.
| "The original line held by the allies
before this big movement began was
"a miles long. The present line, on
which the Germans are falling back
is GA miles long. The front has been
reduced 10 miles.
"The area won by the allies in this
counter offensive more than equal that
won by the enemy in Flanders, to which
l referred last Saturday.
"'Our lines have now reached within
three and one-half miles of Fere- En-
ITardenois, which is big German supply
depot right near the railroad, which af
forded, of course, means of getting sup
plies in and out. That point has beer
continuously and heavily shelled.
The nearest point of the German linz
from Paris is now 40 miles The forme
distance was 3S miles; they have beer
driven back IL miles.
During the last few days, American
combatant troops have begun to arriv'
in Italy. The number and the plac
: where they are to be used have not beer
communicated to us. This is in addition
to the force announced before the hos
pital and supply troops were sent from
the United States"
General March then told of the OF
ganization of the two additional arm.
corps, giving the divisions composing
them. and also detailed the units com
posing the first four regular army divi
sions, which are now engaged in tn
fighting. He also gave the location
the 32d division, and said he had no re
port en- the Bath division, about whie
he had been asked, and announced tn
new assignment Tor mayor Genefa
Ruekman.
1.-TWO questions have come in, cor
! tinued the chief of staff, 'asking
number of detailed questions about tn
number of enlisted men, minor detail
about men available for the draft an
that sort of thing. 1t will be impossibl
for me to go into such. details exceE
as an announcement of policy If an
unit as small as regiment distinguish
es itself abroad, win be very glad
mention that regiment. Unless sue
. things are received in the cables an
! call for special mention, | am going
! epnfine my remarks to larger lines.
. don t want to hinder you in any way
if you have any question, put it il
L and if / can answer it II do it. -