The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-08-02
ONLY SKIRMISKES
Some of the "BattIes" Reported
Are Not Real Thing.
Small Gains Usually Result of
Small Attacks.

London, Aug. 2.-Reuter's corres-
pendent on the American front tele-
graphing Thursday night says:
There may be SOME danger of mis-
conception or disappointment arising
from certain rather flamboyant ac-
counts of the fighting on the AReri-
can front since these give the i'm
preston of tremendous effort with lit
tie headway and the conclusion may
he drawn that the director of the al
lied advance is finding successful ac-
complishmsnt beyond his means. AL
tho no praise is too high for the way
the Americans are fighting, that
fighting is on a comparatively small
scale as things are measured on this
front and does not suggest hurry on
the part of the allied command to
reach a particular destination.
= 3; Almost GrrnIess tBattle. 49,
"If the commanders purpose re-
quired speed more guns would be
needed, for by comparison with past
fighting the present operations might
also be called gunless so large has
the roll of the infantry been. 1t has
been bitter as possible and the Ameri-
cans have won imperishable 1aurels
in 1t, but the scale of fighting would
not entitle one to expect greater pro-
gress from it, or, indeed, more than
a mere folding up of ground. It would
be a mistake to suppose that the tre-
mendous struggle is producing made
quate results
Yanks in Desperate Fight.
Fighting of the most bitter nature
marked the American advance east
and southeast of sergy on Thursday,
says Reuters correspondent on the
American front. Bellevue farm. north
of the village of Cierges, was the
German strong point, since from it
they could command the approaches
on four sides and their gun nests about
it were concealed cleverly in the
ripening wheat which afforded excel
lent cover.
This kind of fighting" the corre
spondent continues, lis slow business
and bad business for the side that tries
to hurry it, unless it has an over
whelming power of guns. and in this
open fighting guns cannot be concen-
trated as they are for trench attacks.
Two divisions opposed to the Ameri-
cans were the 200 Jaeger division,
which seemed to be composed of stout
fellows from various German states,
and the 216, which was brought
from KENNEL, on the British front in
Flanders, by wa of Laen, where they
had rested for several days. They did
not appear to be such good material
as the other divisions. One youngster
of g said he had been a year in Serv-
ice, but that this was his first fight. He
aVowed with tears that he did not
like it Other prisoners, being asked
why the Americans were beating them.
replied:
German Troops Food Poor.
"The Americans have good food in
their stomachs, while the Germans
only have poor stuff that no one could
fight upon"
Not far from this front a some<
what pathetic group was found. There
were five Germans and an officer on
one side of it and four Americans on
the other. 1t had been a fight to the
finish and the last American to sur
vive had thrust his bayonet down
ward into the earth to signify that he
was the last one to see it thru.
Meanwhile the fighting had been
proceeding between Sergy and Ser
inges with much of the old bitterness.
The artillery had slackened and the
fashion in which the enemy met the
American infantry attack showed he
had no intention of retiring unless
compelled by superior forces
Prisoners from the 201st division
declared that their orders were to
hold the line at all costs. especially
at Hill 1S4 (northwest of Seringes).
They seemed to have little doubt that
there is no lack of troops behind
them"