The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-07-31
Maintain Positions Which
They Carried After
Violent Fighting
SOLE OBJECT NOW
is KILLING MEN
General March Makes This Statement
to Newspaper Correspondents in
Washington-N Chance to Bag
Large Number of the Enemy.

W NcWapdpoI correspondents III
washington-N Chance to Bag
Large Number of the Enemy.
PARIS, July 81, by The Associated
Press.-American troops maintained
their positions in the region Of Seringes-
et-Neslcs, which they carried after yio-
lent fighting, according to an official
statement from the war Office today.
Tho Germans made four attacks against
the new French positions east of Oulehy
lc Chateau They were rcpulsed and
the French line was held intact. The
French and the Germans carried out
raids at a number of other points on
sectors east and west of the Marine sa-
lient, but there was no change in the
general situation on these points.
LONDON. July 3l.-Thc German ar
tillery displayed considerable activity
last night in the region of Merris on
the Flanders front, taken yesterday by
the Australians, and in the KENNEL Sec
tor, the war Office announced today. 1t
was also active on both sides of the
Sommc. Prisoners were taken in raids
and patrol encounters in the Lens re-
gion and north of Bethune.
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY ON
AISNE-MARNE FRONT, July 3l.-Ef-
forts made by the Germans to advance
their lines against the Americans on this
front last night and this forenoon were
fruitless The Americans for their part
were content to hold their positions along
their slightly advanced line for the time.
The German lines, however, are reported
gradually giving way, both to the right
and left
There was sharp fighting throughout
the night but no concentrated attacks
in force by either side During the night
the Americans made pretense of retir-
ing from n part of the town of Seringes
The Germans advanced into the town or
observing the supposing evacuation; tive
companies of Americans then closed n
and envcloped the German forces, kill
ing or capturing every man of il.
WASHINGTON, July 31-The sol,
object of the allies and the Germans il
the Soissons- Rheims salient now is t
kill as many men as possible, Genera
March, chief of.staff, said today at tn
scm.weckly conference with newspape
correspondents Whatever objective
either side had ut the beginning hav
been submerged by developments j
the fighting Gen. March had nothin
20 reveal as to the extent of easualtie
sustained by the American forces in th
recent fighting. He said, however, tha
Cen Pcrshiug had been ordered to G;
bic the casualties as received and thi
these would be given ont hero at one
lie added that there would be no Iii
tribution Of the casualties over Ion
period hereafter The arrival of Il
l2d Rainbow division and its partie
patton in the fighting east of Fere-ei
Tardcnois were announced. The thin
regular division also was identified ;
in action at Fergy and Ciergcs whel
the crack German guard division ha
boon defeated in recent fighting /
American troops Gen. March pointC
ont that the Soissons. Rheims saliel
had been greatly nattencd, virtual
dssipatiug any hopc Of the allies ba
ging large numbers of the enemy. TT
German withdrawal since last Satu
day. he added, had reduced the lengt
of the line another 10 miles, TO
miles. The maximum German retire
in the center is II miles.
Rcpulscs of enemy countor-attacks
the line Of the Oucq after severe igl
ing and Improvement Of the Amoriei
positions there were reported in &c
Pcrshiug' 's eommunique for yesterda
received today at the war dcpartmei