Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1918-08-08
by EDWARD w. PlekARp.

10 nth year Of the great war
iopen$ WITH the German forces Ia the
iAisOs- aru@ REGION on xhe Extensive
after the collapse Of the drive on Par.
'is and the assumption Of the initia-
tuVe by the allies under General Foch
the British calmly awaiting the prom
1lsed offensive by Crown Prince Rup-
Iprecht; the French and Italians driv-
ing ahead in Albania; Ukraine, Rou-
mania and much of Russia rising
against the tyranny Of German dom
lination; Turkey quarreling with Bull
sgaria and Austria with Germany over
the spotls Of war In the near East;
the allies putting into execution their
plans to help the anti-German ele-
lments in Siberia, and, above all. the
American troops In the thick Of the
Inghting in France and winning the
iplaudits of the world for their splen-
ibid work.
With the apparent intention of max
Ing a stand, at least temporarily, on
the Vesle river line, the Germans
slowed up their retreat from the Aisne-
Marine salient last week and brought
their heavy artillery into action. De
spite the determined and dashing at.
rtacks of the allies from the south,
west and east, the Huns had with
drawn in most cases with elaboration,
choosing the ground for their rear
guard actions and saving probably the
Igreater part of their supplies. The
possibility of cutting OF and capturing
Iany very large number Of them passed
when it was found that their power
E4ul resistance at the ends Of the arc,
near Scissors and Reims, prevented
ANY considerable advance Of the al
lies there At the south front of the
Isalient the Huns fought ferCely for
days while their guns and munitions
were being transported to the north,
and then quickly moved back, the
French and Americans following with
"a rush. This movement carried the
battle up to and beyond the River
iOurcq. There was evidence that the
German commander intended to halt
south Of that river for a time, but he
was not allowed to do this:
To the front between Fere-en- Tarde-
fnois and PRssy were brought the crack
divisions of the Prussian guards, to
hold back the Americans, but the lat
ter refused to be checked, and with
Igallantry that aroused the cheers of
the allied nations they met and de-
Efeated the best fighters Of the kaiser's
armies. These Prussians, unlike so
many of the Huns, fight to the death
when told to hold certain position,
and the Americans, also, do not know
THE word surrender. Consequently the
combat was bloody in the extreme. 1t
was conferred in and about the villages
of Nesles. Sergy and Cierges, and they
changed hands repeatedly before the
Yankees finally got the upper hand
and established themselves firmly in
the towns and then pushed on beyond
the river, taking Seringes and max
ing q salient in the German lines that
threatened what remained of the en-
envy In the pocket between there and
Ville-en-Tardenois.
That it was not an idle threat was
proved two days later, when the Amer
lean and French troops struck hard
at this pocket, storming the heights
between Sergy and SerinEes. They
were preceded by a rolling barrage
and moved forward behind a smoke
cloud. It was announced that this at
tack was for the purpose Of straight
Iening the allied line, but its possibifi-
ties were considerable. The advance,
which was stubborniy resisted and was
made difficult by miles Of barbed-wire
acknowledgements, carried the allies close