Arizona republican., 1918-08-12
(By the Associated Press)

The Germans have materially stiff ened their defense against the British American and French troops on the Picardy battle front but they have been unable to stem the tide.
 Although the forward push of the allies has been slowed down. they have made important progress from the north of the Somme where the Ameri- cans and British are fighting together, to the northern bank of the Disc held by the French
 American and British
 Americans and British are pressing closely. upon Braye- Sur Somme, aided by tanks and armored cars.
 Across the river the Germans heavily engaged the British at Lihons and it's vicinity. and at one point pierced the British line and gained the outskirts of Lihons. A counter attack restored the British line and the enemy retired to positions east and north. Unofficial reports credit the British with entering Chaulnes and the British cavalry with penetration of the enemys territory almost to Nesles.
 French Make Progress
 The greater progress has been made by the French from the region innne diately southwest and south of Rove tO the Disc river. Here they have driven their line well across the Rove Compiesne road and at Cambronne have reached the road leading from Compiegne to Noyon. Since the cap ture of Monididier the French have penetrated eastward to Tilloly, dis tance of about seven miles. and to a ATa4r Q and through the hilly region southward to the Disc have averaged gains ex- ceeding six miles, over a front of F miles.
 Retreat Not Ended The stiffening of the German de- fense does not in the minds of ob- servers of the battle front, indicate that the retreat of the enemy has ended. Rather it is assumed that these maneuverS are similar to those car ried out over the Marne front when | strong rear guards covered the retire ment of the crown princes army northward.
 | The smoke of large fires continues | to be seen far behind the enemy's lines 1 and the movement of long transport | columns eastward is considered evil dence that it is the intention of the | enemy ultimately to retreat to new lines of defense. Aviators have de stroyed all the bridges across the 1 Somme from the region of Peronne
 southward and with the enemy's com
 municating lines either in the hands
 of the allies or dominated by their guns, the retrograde movement neces- sarily must be slow.
 Allies EncircIe Rove
 The allied troops are encircling Rove
 and it's capture, which seems imminent
 will greatly heighten the difficulties
 of the Germans
 T Intensive air fighting is proceeding over the battle line. In Fridays bat
 ties 39 German machines were de ' stroyed and 22 driven down out oi control. The British war office ac-
 knowledges that 23 British machine: ? are missing. Unofficial estimatel : bring the number of prisoners take1 by the allies up to 36.000 and tn number of guns captured to nor, f than 500.
 D Germans String Wire
 On the Vesle front the Germans ol f the. northern side of the stream ar $ reported to be entrenching and string
 ing barbed wires over the ,territor.
 where they are facing the French ant :. Americans.
 All accounts agree that the attack: ', of the third French army on the Mas sif are making satisfactory progress = and that an advance of from three tC U five miles has been made since Satur- c day morning. The roads for the enc II my's retirement are by no means gooC y and it is believed not impossible that
 sooner or later he will be compelled tC It retire to the line of Percnne, VesleS s SIapd Noyon