The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-06-15


tnent part and won the warm praise
of the French and British by their gal
lantry and valor as well as by their ex-
cellent craftsmanship. The Americans
were called on to hold bridge head
near Chateau Thierry Immediately on
their arrival after thirty hours on the
road in motortrucks. They took up
their positions quickly and slaughtered
the Huns who tried to cross. Under
cover of this fire Yankee engineers
successfully dynamited the bridges,
and the machine gunners have since
held the south bank and repulsed all
attempts of the Germans to build new
bridges. 1t is reported the Americans
killed about 1000 Germans at the
bridge head, having themselves only
one man killed and few wounded.
In the Neuilly wood, northwest Of
Chateau Thierry, the American infan-
try had their chance, and three times
they drove back desperate attacks of
the Huns, their rifle fire being deadly.
On the third assault they met the Ger
mans in the open and put them to
rout with the bayonet.
In what may be called their own
sector, in the Luneville region, the
Americans carried out some highly
successful operations.
The allies frankly admit that they
are counting on the United States
troops to save the day, and the tests
to which the Yankees have been sub
mitted show the trust of the British
and French is not misplaced.
-A-
Failing to make further progress
southwark, the Germans turned TN
main force Of their attacks On the
western front of their salient between
the Aisne and the Marine. Here they
found any advance still more difficult,
and indeed at many points they were
driven back some distance by the im-
petuous attacks of General Foch's
troops. In that region the dense for
ests of Villiers-C otterets and Neuilly
offer the best of defensive positions for
the allies enabling them to move and
concentrate their forces unseen by the
enemy aviators. The allied artillery,
too, has been brought up with remark
able speed and is pouring a devastat-
ing fire into the Germans from well
selected positions day and night. Along
the line from the Marne northeastward
to Reims the allied line was holding
strongly, and the ancient cathedral city
was still, rather unexpectedly, In the
possession of the British.
The Germans made no claims to def
mite advances during the week and
their losses were growing so appalling
that government officials In Berlin felt
1t necessary to speak Of them apollo
getically, asking the people to consider
the magnitude of the operations and
of the stake.
Toward the end of the week there
were signs that Won Hindenburg was
preparing for a renewal of the drive
on another part of the line, possibly
in the Amiens sector, but the allied
military authorities expressed satisfac-
ton with the situation and confidence
In their ability to meet any new at
tacks.
Ia
The German press was almost n
unit last week in its calls for peace
offensive, but the papers and the fac
lions they represent were as far apart
as ever on the question of what Ger.
many should state as her peace aims.
The radical press still insists on the
no annexation and no indemnity pro-
gram, While the organs of the pan
German party blatantly insist that the
central powers are now In position
to make demands and to enforce them,
and that though Germany entered the
war in 1914 with no predatory pur-,
poses 1t Is now entitled to take what
1t desires to make up for Its losses
and to insure its future safety.
IA
There Is no longer any pretensions
on Germany's part of treating the
Russian provinces as any other than
conquered territory, the treaty OF |
Brest-Litovsk being now ignored. Net
ther is there any evidence that Ger
many is getting any benefit from those
lands, for the food question is still |
driving the civilian population to dis
traction; and In Austria Hungary the |
situation Is far worse.
Greater Russia is actually starving,
for the soviet government can pro
cure no more food from the Ukraine,
and In the Kuban and Don regions
there are counter-revolutionary bands |
that keep things In a turmoil. The
counter-reyolution plot. the govern
ment says, spreads throughout the
country and in consequence Moscow
has been declared in state of Siege. /
1t is reported the American govern