The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-05-31
RHEIMS MAY BE
GIVEN UP UNDER
VAST PRESSURE
Germans Near Connecting Rail-
way to City.
Are Striving To Widen Out
Salient Now.
ENEMY APPROACHING Marine
Are Using New Plan of Attack
by "BOunds."
Still Hold Firm at
Cantigny.
Enemy APPROACHING Marine

London, May Slime dpduuOH-
ment of Rheims seems inevitable. The
Germans are nearing the Marine and
the Paris-Cha1ons railway, which IS
the main communication between
Paris and Verdun.
Altho the pace of the German ad-
vance has slackened owing to the ar
rival of the allied reserves, 1t is reeog-
nized that the allies have difficult
task to prevent further development
of the menacing enemy success. Cor
respondents say the retreat over the
Aisne was a most difficult feat of
warfare, both as regards calm gem
eralship and the courage of the
troops The ground was repeatedly
defended to the last man. Officers
were seen holding the bridges to the
last moment and were then killed
when they blew them up.
Paris, May 31.-The extreme point
of the German advance is LIE Channel,
about two miles north of the river
Marne, according to an outline of the
battle front as marked out by news
paper correspondent, the Havas
agency says.
The Germans continued to push for
ward south of Fere-En -Tardenois, ac-
cording to the latest advices reaching
Paris, but neither Chateau Thierry nor
Dormans haveayet fallen into their
hands. There is reason to hope that
Chateau Thierry, the population of
which has fled, will be saved.
Chateau Thierry is ten miles south
of Fere- e-Eu-Tardenois, while Dormans
is six miles south of Vezilly. Both
towns are on the river Marine.
Baff1ed in their efforts to strike
eastward and westward from the new
salient in the allied lines, the Ger
mans are attempting to reach the
Marne with their heavy forces before
the allied resistance becomes strong
enough to halt them entirely. In the
center, however, the enemy progress is
slackening as the allied reserves are
being thrown into the battle.
Cannot Widen Salient.
Heavy fighting continues all along
the arch-shaped salient from Scissors
to Rheims. Struggle as they will
against the French defense on the west
around scissors the Germans are un-
able to gain. In the region of Rheims
the same story is true as the British
and French divisions there stand firm.
BY penetrating to the Marine or
southwark from re-En-Tardenois,
seven miles north of the river, which
they now hold, the Germans apparent
ly hope to- spread out eastward and
westward as they failed to do further
north and thus outflank the strong al
lied positions at scissors and at
Rheims. French resistance in the CEN
ter. however. is growing in strength
and the Germans are getting farther
and farther away from their original
base along the Ailette.
Paris and London view the situa
ton more favorably, and in neither
capital is there fear that the German
offensive will become as serious a
menace to the allied defense as the
| original onslaught in March
Another Bad Hun Salient.
Altho the German salient is about
eighteen miles deep in the center
| Paris is not much nearer nor has the
enemy advance yet affected the allied
| lines eastward from Montdidier. In
| 1act the Germans would be in a
| dangerous position should General
Foch strike eastward along the Aisne
pose OF the allied strategy in hold
ing strongly on the flanks as the Ger
| mans get deeper and deeper into the
pocket toward the Marne.
The aerial activity over the territory
or the German advance is most in
tense. and French airmen have
| dropped many tons of bombs or
enemy targets in addition to bringing
down nineteen German machines
Berlin claims the capture of much
| war material. including a number OF
the larger French guns. The numbe,
OF prisoners is now said to be more
| than $4,000.
| Elsewhere on the western front
there has been little activity. The ar
! tillery fire has increased in Picardy
| but infantry actions there and ir
| FLANDERS have been limited to raids.
Americans Hold Firm.
West of Montdidier the American
/ Continued on Page TwoJ
| Want Higher Rates.