The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-07-18
LIED WAR MACHINE ROARS FORWARD
OVER FRONT Of TH|RTY-F|VE MILES

the development of screen fire over
great belt Of terrain behind the lines.
IN many places this belt Of shell fire
Is twenty miles deep. The American
and French batteries are searching
| every inch OF the enemy back areas
with high explosives and allied bomb
Ing raids, In which scores of machines
drop vast quantities Of missiles, are
| frequent
British Are Winning.
LONDON, July 18.-British troops
continued to improve their positions
OH various sectors of the Picardy
front, Field Marshal Haig reported
today.
Australian troops, in local enter
prise, In the neighborhood of villers-
Bretonneux, succeeded in advancing
our lines on front of more than a
mile last night, taking two field guns
and some prisoners and machine
guns.
Our positions were also slightly
improved during the night east of
Hebuterne. A hostile raid was re-
pulsed south Ut Bucquoy.
Hostile artillery was active dur
ing the night north of Bailleul".
Biggest Since April, 1917.
| LONDON, July 1S.-(4:35 p. M
The drive between the Aisne and the
Marne is the biggest allied counter Of
fensive since April, 1917, it was learn
ed authoritatively this afternoon.
Many tanks are in action with the
French and American trops.
/
| Fourteen German Airpianes.
! LONDON, July 18.-Fourteen Ger
man airplanes were brought down by
British airmen and six hostile bal
looms were destroyed Tuesday, the
| British machines were lost. Success
out.
| kIll In Abundance.
! WITH THE FRENCH ARMIES IN
THE FIELD, July 18.-'Kill them!
had enough!"
That is a portion of General Gour-
and's order Of the day to the French
and American troops, on the eve of
the new German drive.
!
gagged in under more favorable condi-
tions," he declared. Strong, brave
hearts of free men beat in your
breasts. None will look behind, none
will give away"
Making Good Progress.
LONDON, July Is (10'10 p. m) -
A Franco-American counter offensive
started this morning on the front
between ChateauT Thierry and Sois-
sons, it was learned from an authori
tative source this afternoon. The at
tack was reported to be on large
scale and the latest news from the
front justifes the opinion the allies
are making good progress.
| In view of the big Franco-Ameri-
can counter offensive, it is declared
there is little likelihood of Epernay
falling. There Is little change in the
situation on either side of Rheims.
Effect of America.
GENEVA, July 1S.-"American in
| teryention is having it's effects; al
ready it has begun to be felt to such
an extent that it must be considered
seriously" the Poster Lloyd. semi
official newspaper of BUDAPEST, de-
| clared.
I This newspaper, admitting Aus
| trian losses in the recent Italian Of
fensiye reached 250,000. explains the
defeat as follows:
"The Austro-Hungarians were nu-
/ nericaIly inferior to the allies, and
the war methods of the enemy,
| especially the Italians, had been
greatly improved
| Fast Dwindling Efforts.
IrBy Ed. L. Keen, United Press Staff
Correspondent
| LONDON, July 1S (5:15 a. ny
Fast dwindling efforts of the Germans,
orig, pally spread over Il front Of more
than fifty miles, are now concentrat-
Cd or the twenty mile f-cnr between
lVrigny and Combligny, in an attempt
lto advance toward Epernay and pinch
off the Rheims salient.
| vriguv is four miles southwest of
IRbeims. Combligny is eleven miles
ldue west of Epernay and four miles
south of the Marne)
Il II is a tagging advance, pste-ing out
lhourIy. Elsewhere, there are fuctua-
Ting local attacks, decreasing in power
and intensity.
East of Rheims, the French and
Americans have completely stopped
the Germans. South of the Marine,
l froy,, r1oon