The sun., 1918-06-03
FRENCH BLOCK
MOVE TO WEST
German Forward Line Pierced
in Three Places by Coun-
ter Blows.
RESISTANCE IS FIRMER
Paris Thinks Enemy Effort to
Link Up Two Battle Fronts
Has Failed.
RESISTANCE IS FIRMER
SPECIAL DtspntrA TO Thy scS.


WASHINGTON. June French troops
backed by reserves appear 10 he more
than holding their own against the Ger
man armies Of the Crown Prince. which
are desperately endeavoring to push
westward in the direction Of the forest
Of Vilers-Cotterets and thereby widen
the wedge.
Army experts who regard this Ger
man move as very menacinE plan TO
connect up the present fighting zone
with the scene OF tho German gains on
the Amiens front. were encouraged to-
night to learn that the French had
struck at least three powerful blows at
the German line and in each case had
driven back the enemy.
The villages Of 1,ongpont Corey and
Troesnes, which marked tire limit
reached by tho Germans in this west.
ward movement are reported recap.
tured by the French TINS 70 military
men here indicates that Gen Foch's re-
serves have puuctured the advanced Ger
man line in three places and thereby set
at naueh' tho Teuton efforts OF the pas,
'wen'y-four hours in this direction.
Fighting SIN Going ON.
II is assumed here that fighting is still
gong on at these points. and I, is real
lied that the Germans will seek to mass
al! their strength IN efforts 20 retake
them. Hut the latest developments re-
ported here seem featured h. French
counter attacks Il is reported now that
,he French have won back the high
ground west of Soissons
Military observers here see clear evil
dences OF stiffen!ng OF the French re-
sistance to the point where it balances
the force of the onslaughts In the latest
news from the battle line. The fac; that
the French, BY counter attacks. have re-
taken Longpont. Corey and 1'roesnes
indicates that the German effor, 10
widen the wedge by pushing westward
along :he Marne has been temporarily
matted
The object of pushing westward Is
evident at glance as the map vii!
show. The German Crown Prince real
ICES that the wedge driven into the AL
les position Is open - attacks on its
TANKS and he likewise appreciates the
value or linking up the German gains
here with those achieved near Amiens,
The Crown Princes Plan.
He is therefore pushing westward In
the nope that he can force the allied line
to give way sufficiently to straighten out
the German line running from Chateau
Therry to the direction Of Noyon and
Mon'didicr But IL Is clear to military
experts that the French are not per
mittlng this plan to be carried out
smoothly,
should the Germans succeed in widen
ing their wedge they nigh, seek 10
strike at Paris by coming down the
valley OF the Ourcq River There SIM
seems to he no enori made TO cross the
Marne. This would admittedly bring
about IA clash on major scale with Gen
Foch's reserves and il appears evident
that the Germans do not wish to risk
this clash Al this time, especially as they
proba bly, need 10 rtcuperate afte" their
desperate efforts to reach the Marne
The German official statement. II Is
noted, Is couched in distinctly different
terms and makes no such claims as hav.
featured these commun!ques during the
last few days
The announcement that y Franco
American depot has been captured near
Fere-en-T -Turdenois containing "inca,cu-
lablc supplies. besides SOC. 900 artillery
shells. 1000 vehicles" Sc loohs TO army
men here like an obvious effort TO make
much of such meagre details as the Ger
mans have been able TO give their people
for ENCOURAGEMENT
N Ia explained In army circles that
this depot was probably one Of the or
dinary depots used by the French. and
in this case used also by American troops
brgaded with French or British. II is
not question Of huge depot of sup.
plies sent from tho United States for
American troops, Incidentally the cap
ture OF 100000 artillery shells is not
considered OF great importance IN these
daya when shells are rcCkoned in
gigantic numbers.