The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-07-19
fBy Associated Press.l

Moving swiftly and powerfully the
brilliant French-American stroke be-
tween the Aisne and the Marne, the
first offensive in whic the Americans
have taken part, is rolling eastward,
gathering in its path thousands OF
prisoners, scores of cannon, hundreds
of machine guns and large quantities.
OF supplies.
From the heights west of scissors,
the allied command that base and the
railway lines to it. Cannon brought
up elsewhere dominate the important
communication and transportation lines
in the triangle Rheims, Chateau Thier.
ry, scissors.
ALI accounts agree that the smash
planned by General Foch was a com.
plete surprise to the. anamy all along
the 2GmfIe front It stopped the Ger.
man offensive astride the Marne and
around Rheims.
Lessen Pressure on Rheims.
The allied blow was as effective an
offensive as it was a move to lessen
the pressure southwest of Rheims and
along the Marne. South of the Aisne,
the Americans advanced six miles to
within a mile of scissors. At other
points the penetration was almost as
great and the average advance is be-
tween three and four miles, according
to latest advices received in Paris.
This compares most favorably with
the German progress in three days on
both sides Of Rheims.
Scissors now Is useless to the Ger
mans as a base of operations. Rheims
is safe, apparently for the time being,
and a continued Franco-American ad-
vance between the Aisne and the
Marne will compel the German crown
prince to withdraw his armies along
the Marne. Even without further ad.
vance, the German position in the
triangle is imperiled. More allied
gains and the enemy will be in dan.
ger of losing many troops to say no
thing of great quantities of supplies
and guns.
Berlin has not reported fully on the
fighting. It's brief statement Thurs
day night said that the allied attack
had resulted in the capture of "some
ground" 1t added that German re-
serves had been thrown into the con
flict.
British Front Quiet.
There has been little ma rked fight
ing on the battle ground of the first
three days Of the week. The Ger
mans gave up their attacks and the
allies stand firmly. East of Rheims,
the French retook Prunay, an advance
of considera bly, more than mile.
The British front remains quiet, ex-
cept for ra;ding operations. Some OBJ
servers believe the fighting may
spread to this front, either with the
Germans attacking or General Foch
starting a companion blow to the one
between the Aisne and the Marne.
An attempted German airplane raid
on Paris Thursday night failed. Ital-
ian aviators have dropped many bombs
on Pola, the Austrian naval base.
Important strategic positions be-
tween the Aisne and the Marne and
twenty villages are now occupied by
the French and Americans. The allies
reached and advanced beyond the
lines of Belleau. Courchamps. Chouy.
Villers-Helon, Chaudun and the heights
dominating scissors. The first attack
carried the French and Americans to
their third objective and as the Ger
man resistance had not stiffened great
ly, another attack was begun immedi-
ately and the allies are still surging
forward
Cavalry Used In Advance.
So rapid has been the allied ad-
vance southwest of scissors that cav
airy was thrown into the fray Field
guns and machine guns were brought
up rapidly and, aided by many tanks,
did effective execution in the enemy
Continued on Page Ten.)