The Elk Mountain pilot., 1918-08-08

Washington, Aug. 5.-Allied troops
in the Aisne-Marne salient reaped the
full fruits of victory" on Saturday
when the enemy, who met his sec
ond great defeat en- the Marine, was
driven in confusion beyond the line
of the Vesle," Gen. Pershing reported
in his communique.
The German retreat continues un-
abated, with the allies everywhere IN
hot pursuit. Apparently, the situation
now has resolved itself into race for
the northern bank of the Aisne river
by the Germans. who have been evict-
ed from strategic positions along the
Vesle river. in the center of the line
and directly east Of Rheims, which
seemingly renders necessary that they
put the Aisne between themselves
and their pur0uers to escape further
large losses of men made priooner.
Just how large this bag OF captives
is at present cannot be reckoned, but
unofficial advices from Paris assert
that when the figures are made public
they will thrill the allied world. Gen.
Pershing in his communication says
prisoners, and, in addition, 1873 guns
American losses are reported compar
atively small.
After hard fighting the Americans,
aided by the French, have succeeded
in taking Fismes, once Germany's
great ammunition and supply depot.
midway on the railway between Sois-
sons and Rheims. while to the east at
a number of places along the Vesle
river the French have crossed the
stream, driving the enemy northeast
ward.
East of Scissors allied troops have
negotiated the passage OF the Aisne
and are in position to harass the en-
emy as he endeavors to straighten out
his line in conformity with that run
ming northwestward.
So fast has been the retreat in the
center that already some elements OF
their forces have succeeded In reach
ing the northern bank of the Aisne
and getting numbers of their big guns
across with them. All through the
the salient towns are still ablaze be-
hind the retreating Germans, and
order to prevent the allied troops
from garnering the ripened crop.
With the Vesle at freshet and the
Germans unable to ford 1t, they stood
with their backs to 1t and gave battle
for their lives. Most of them were
killed and the remainder made pris.
oner. One OF the most important ma
neuvers north of the Vesle was the
penetration by the French to the vii
lage of La Neuvillette. which releases
the German hold on the northern out
skirts of Rheims. and seemingly de-
livers the cathedral city from the Ger
man menace.
| With the Germans now thoroughly
vanquished thus far on the Soissons
Rheims salient, eyes are being turned
to the regions in the northwest on
both sides of Amiens. Here the French
and British are keeping up their hard
pressure against the armies of Crown
Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria and have
forced them on two highly important
sectors to retreat. Southeast of
Amiens. on the old Montdidier sector.
the Germans have fallen back across
the Avre river over wide front,
while northeast of Amiens, in the re-
gion of Albert, a similar retrograde
movement has been made across the
Ancre. The German official communi-
cation in admitting the withdrawal
near Albert declares the maneuver
was carried out without Interference
by the British.
There again has been considerable
activity on the Italian mountain front,
where at several points the Italians
have attacked and defeated the Aus
trians.
With the French Army in France,
Aug. 3-Soissons has been retaksn
and the valley of the Crise has been
crossed.
The allied line last evening runs
from Hommieres to Scissors, thence
to Belleu, the valley OF the Crise.
Chacrise and ArcySt. Restitue.
through the center of the forest OF
Nesles to the village of the same name
and through the center of the forest
of Rheims to Lagery. L'Hery and Ira
merry. North OF the last-named three
places, French cavalry has advanced
another mile to Bois lie Moine and
Treslon.