Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-01

on neighboring village, and evacuation
was imperative. The railroad transport
was hampered by the enemy lombard
ment. but we managed to get away
nearly all the wounded under heavy fire
before the line finally became in
utilizable
The remainder of the light cases were
sent of on foot under escort OF the hos
pital attendants, with instructions to
get lift on empty lorries. when pos
sible, which they mostly soon did. FL
nally. the personnel of the hospital got
off in their own lorries
The journey was slow and unevent-
tlI, save for aircraft aztec on Tues
DAY and Wednesday night which were
happily unattended by loss of life
Altosether. the retreat was far more
orderly and less difficult than what
saw In MFrch. but Just the same two
such experiences in two months are
rather .sagreeab'e. A redeemiug fea-
ture was the kindness and sympathy Of
the French units everywhere. The way
the refugees ignored their own troubles
to care for our wounded touched us all
Immensely"
Despite the Initial success the con-
ditions are far less favorable for the
Crown Princes army than they were for
Won kluck's. The extreme limit Of the
across undefended ground and was able
10 give all it's attention to the business
of turning the F'ranco-Brittsh left,
whereas now the German progress south
ward is being barred by ever-increasing
forces as the Allied reserves arrive Al
the same time the German movement of
conveyance westward is faced by very
serious difficulties. To strengthen the line
of defense from scissors southeast, the
4
travel than in the center OF the battle
area. and the enemy has already reached
point where losses are beginning TO
outbalance gains.
First Divisions Annihiiated
The battle for scissors was case in
point. Here the enemy was able to
utilize guns already in position whose
registration" was long ago completed
Yet il was only after the first divisions
launched 10 assault had been virtually
annihilated by successful counter-attack
that Foch--true to his policy OF never
wasting men unnecessarily-allow the
new divisions which the enemy i'm
medately threw forward to occupy the
heap of smoking ruins to which the city
had been reduced
on my last visit to scissors a few
days ago. I was able to see how
fire of the German heavy artillery. In
every direction houses had been de-
stroyed by the bombardment of the last
week in March. and an occasional shell
served as reminder that the storm
would burst again at the German will
IT did so On Tuesday afternoon and all
night high explosive and incendiary
shells from the land batteries and the
air rained upon Soissons The French
were established in a semicircle out
sidet ne eastern limit of the city. from
the Beleu heights UP to the Soissons-
Coucy road, and the German havoc was
wasted upon tnanimate bricks and NOR
tar
At dawn on Wednesday the enemy de- |
livered an attack in very strong force
from the northeast \ banking fire OF
'seventy-fives' and quick firers on the
hills above Belleu village cut them down
like corn. and although their ranks were
renewed. their terrible sac
rifice gained them little headway until
their attack was heightened southwark
against the lower slopes OF the plateau.
New Divisions suffered Heavily
Foot by foot the enemy advanced
through the ruins of the burning town,
the slaughter inflicted by
The French mitrailleuses posted at every
point of advantage. Tne new divisions
before whom the French withdrew by
order suffered heavily for their advance |
The region behind the center of the
battle area. where the German progress
IS being slowed up. is a series of long |
rolling hill slopes and wide valleys and
1ffers positions for defense by gun and
When | visited this region
Thursday the roar of the battle was |
less loud than usual--proof |
hat the German advance has outrun |
Is artillery There was no trace Of
confusion or overhaste, and the meas |
Tres taken to delimit certain routes for |
,ertain traffic efficiently prevented con-
yestion or delay Even refugees lying |
,n farm carts piled high with hay and |
bedding, with furniture underneath, or |
driving cattle along the by-roads re-
served for them, seemed surprisingly |
calm and confident, They had been !
warned in good time by the military |
they said, and had been able |
% effect the removal of their most cher |
shed belongings
There had been no sheling, but some |
refugees from the towns spoke of night |
aids by German aircraft.
"C:est la guerre," they concluded, !