Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-01
FRENCH AT MARINE
WITH SPIRITS UP
Old Battle Name a Trumpet
Call and Best of
Omens
STRONG ON FLANKS
By C.. H. PERRIS
Special Cable to Ep-ning Public Ledger

Special Cable to Epcning Public Ledger
Copyright. 1918. ~ Neu York Timcs CO.
with the French Armies, June l.
1t is almost Npossble to discuss
the situation today without giving
some indication that might be useful
to the enemy. I shall therefore De
very brief. and shall not attempt 70
explain why and those who know
the real outlook much better still are
confident and cheerful ] do not know
whether the German people vet under.
stand the truth about the last battle
Of the Marne or how the repetition OF
this great name will affect them TO
Frenchmen. II there is to be new
battle of the Marine. the name so far
from being a cause Of fear. will be
trumpet call and the best Of omens.
IN contrast with the further .ad-
vance of the German center, the
French and British forces on the
wings are holding firm, The great
high road from Scissors to Chateau.
Thierry marks broadly the western
llITlt OI tnc
On the northern stretch of IT there
was hard fighting yesterday. In the
morning the enemy crossed the road
at Hartennes and attacked westward
with a number Of tanks. but was
checked near the hamlet Of Tiegney
Further north a well.known French
division made, with its traditional spirir,
a thrust westward across the road
and the 1ittle river Crise and reached
the village of Noyant. 1t had to fall
back. but here, too. the German adj
vance was arrested. The Compiegne
road is firmly held. and the disparity
of forces is being rapidly reduceu
Allies Slow to Retire
On the other flank of the battlefield
the French and British divisions stand
across the hills on the other bank Of the
Ardre, a small tributary of the Vese
from Broillet to Thilois. on the northern
foothills of the mountain OF Rheima
whence the front runs around the
ruined city. -st
This French division is the same that
I have already cited for its determined
resistance on the first day of the battle.
Thursday it struck out from La Neu-
villette along the canal and captured
two hummocks. called Csstalliers and
Decourcy. II was a bold effort in
tended to check the enemy rather than
In the hope of retaining the position
This indeed proved impossible, bun The
French were slow to retire. ana M .ss-
son will not be. lost upon their a5ver.
saries.
The news is gradualy comius IN Of
what happened on the font submerged
by the assault OF Mondsy morning Its
most northerly part was the low ground
beside the Ailette called the forest of
Pinon, which I described fully last
Christmas when spent several days
there with the outposts by which il WAS
held. in conditions somewhat reminiscent
of wild west warfare The neareSf
trenches were on the hills mile or.tAev
behind this ground being too rnarkAgn
dig in. In the forest block house ven
then being laid out while each si5s ised
the other across the frontier 81 the
stream and canal Nothing then esusa
less likely than an attack across such
ground but preparations wers eins
pushed forward with the idea that few
groups OF defenders would gather in and
around the blockhousss and fight a de.
layed action, and then. IL possible, escapA
back to the hill trenches. at
Dig in and Fight to p..th.
f The event turned out othe " Sc When
the surviving sIoups and ou,poss
amounting in all to tfnssf ~ - ps,sa. not
together Monday morning. they decid,s
to intrench themselves ara to fight ~
the death. Carrier pigeons btought not,,
from them to this effect The last no,s
was dated p. m. on tuesday rhs
best that can be hopE that sbh.
survive as. prisoners.
i think 1t may be Il nat tberssn
now no danger of a break Through A
ward any vital objective f9s
1t is not to take the ptifuh remained
Rheims and Soissons that the Germ,n
has committed itself IN M.
Of its final eroEt Al h,;s
Of these extremes we haJe ahu,asS.
room and better positions and tp,.g
equally true at the center. wbsra ~
French are selling dearly every III
.hey y,eio, On tne south 9f the vssS
has none of the dangers peculiar ~ %
front of tho Somme and Flanders
Once more. in General Foch's pbr.a.,
the wave will die upon the beach -