Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-07-18

Marine river. This railway was
about four miles from the allied
front when the attack was started
today.
Threatens Enemy Position.
If the attack of the allies is what
il appears to be, II rs a serious
threat to the whole German posi-
tion south of the Aisne. Rapid pro-
gress by the allies to the eastward
would compel the abandonment of
the German offensive which is now
apparently directed toward Eper-
nay to the south of Reims mountain.
II might. if successful, even bring
about a German retirement from
the whole Scissors Marine Reims
salient with potential disastrous re-
suits to the enemy in the loss Of
men. guns and material.
The part American troops are
taking in the allied counter blow
is as yet unknown. The line men,
toned in the official statement from
Paris, however, includes a section
OF the positions held by the Ameri-
cans in the neighborhood of Cha
teau Thierry. General Pershing' s
men are known to be at Belleau and
they have been mentioned as being
as far south as the town of Torcy,
which is on the south side of the
Clignon river, about Belleau wood.
Battle Biggest Since 1914.
Measuring from the Aisne river.
around the Chateau Thierry salt
ent and thence to Massignes, in the
Champagne, the eastern limits of
the present struggle, the length of
the battleline is about one hundred
and five miles, which is the widest
front that has been in active battle
on the western front since the early
days of the war.
FOch's Counter to Huns.
This mornings attack represents
what apparently is an important
strategic move by General Foch,
the allied commander in chief, to
counter the German blow further
south along the Marine and on the
line to Reims.
The sector in which the attack
was launched includes a part Of the
front held by the Americans. The
American line extended east of Bel
leau wood and on northwestward at
least as far as Torcy, probably some
two or three miles within the area
mentioned.
Endangers Foes Salient.
The Franco-American stroke
seems to have made important in
itial progress and if further push
ed, IS it seems bound to be, the en-
tire huge salient created by the
Germans in their previous drive
south of the Aisne and enlarged in
their present offensive will be Sc
riOusly endangered.
1t is along the line now under at
tack that the notable series of OPP
erations which Immediately preced-
ed the start of the present German
offensive was carried out by the
French and Americans, according
TO an apparently well conceived
plan Of cooperation by the two
forces. Marked gains were made
by the French day by day in the
region southwest of scissors and
further south along the front edg-
ing the forest of Villers-Cotterets
The Americans for their part took
possession of the entire Belleau
wood, captured the village of Vaux,
close to Chateau Thierry, and ad-
yanced their lines notably TO posi-
tons where their guns commanded
the villages of Bouresches, Belleau
and Torcy, along the Clignon river
Logical Place for Drive.
1t was quite generally assumed
at the time that these attacks were
merely for defensive purposes, to
fortify the line against a possible
renewal of the German assault in
this direction. There were hints,
however, that there might be more
important plans behind the persist
ent aggressive of the allies. This
front has been pointed to as the
logical one for an offensive stroke
by General Foch when he consid-
cred the time Opportune to take the
aggressive, as its success would
pinch off the entire Marine salient
and, if carried through rapidly,
would inevitably result in thelcap-
ture of large numbers of the enemy
and quantities of his guns and
material