Mexico Missouri message., 1918-08-22

and the crown princes armies were
north of the Vesle river, hurrying to
the Aisne, with n good prospect of be-
ing driven clear up to their old posi-
tions along the Chemin des Danes.
At the same time the French, with
the aid OF Scottish division captured
Soissons, venlzel, Buzancy, the Butte
Chaulmont and Grand RozOy and
moved eastward along the Aisne to the
mouth of the Vesle, establishing cross
ings for the future. This threatened
directly the German positions on the
west flank of the Chemin des Danes
which runs down to scissors.
On the eastern side of the rapidly
diminishing salient the French and
British moved steadily northward un-
til the entire DOrmans-Reims road was
In their possession; ROmigny, Bligny
were occupied and Viile-en-TardenOis
was captured. From there the line
was moved northward swiftly, keeping
pace with the part further west, until
the Vesle was reached. In this ad-
vance, which at first was stubbOrnly
resisted, the Italians had notable
part.
Saturday night American troops
were reported TO be holding the out
skirts of Fismes, and that important
city, which had been the German base
in the center of the salient, was in
flames. The Huns there were trying
desperately to destroy the great stores
of munitions and other supplies they
could not carry away, as they already
had done in many towns in the terri
tory they had been forced to yield.
Ia
German prisoners, 1t Is said. are
deeply depressed by the failure of the
crown princes drive and the success
Of Foch's offensive. They now realize
the strength of the American arms,
and the people in Germany also are
beginning to learn the truth about
that, despite the attempts of the lead
ers and the press to minimize it and
to excuse the army's severe reverse.
Ia
Crown Prince Rupprecht, having
weakened his forces by sending some
ten divisions to the rescue of the
crown prince of Germany, was COM
PEELED to shorten his lines in Picardy,
and consequently retired to the east
bank of the Ancre in the Albert region
north of Amlens. The British pursued
the retreating Huns and made secure
their hold on the recovered ground
Earlier In the week Field Marshal
Haig's men had struck a hard and
swift blow further north, surrounding
and taking the town of Merris.
There was little change in the Alban-
ian situation, though Vienna claimed
the Franco-Italian forces had met with
reverse. The Austrlans are very
sore over the repeated bombing of
Pola and other bases and are threat
ening retaliation on Italian cities, espe-
clally Venice.
American troops arrived in Italy
last week and were received with Joy
that was almost hysterical.
-M-
Having reached an agreement with
Japan, the United States government
announced the plan for extending mill
tary aid to Russia in Siberia. The
other allies asserting, America and
Japan will send few thousand men
each to Vladivostok to occupy the city
and protect the rear of the Czecho- Slo-
vaks, who are moving westward. Later
the United States will send a commits
sion of merchants, agricultural ex-
! perts. Red Cross and Y. NJ. O. A.
agents to help meet the economic
needs of the people of Russia.
Ia
In the near East the best news
came from Ukraine, where the peas
ants are reported to be in full revolt
against the Huns. Field Marshal Won
| EichhOrn, the German commander In
Ukraine, who had treated the people
like slaves was Rssassinated by a
young Russian social revolutionist in
Kiev, and 1t was said the life of
General Skornpadsh, the hetman--a
tool of Germany-also was threatened.
German correspondents who have
been travelling In Russia report that
the feeling there against Germany is
very strong and widespread and that
the business men are all anti-bolshev-
Tx. Lenine and TrOtzky admit that the
bolshevik government is in peril and
call for mass terrorism" against the
bourgeoisle, and the repulse Of the
Czecho-SlOvaks. A part of that re-
markable force has penetrated TO the
south as far as the Black sea. captur-
ing port and vessels. and another
body has taken Ekaterinberg, an SIM
portant town in the province Of Perm
near the Siberian border. the center
Of rich mining district.