The Mena weekly star., 1918-08-01
FOCH BOTTLINC
 GERMAN ARMIES
Each Hour Situation Grows Worse for Hun Troops Fighting to Get Out of Deep Pocket-Allied Long
 Range Guns Sweep Hanks.

London, July 25.--British and French troops have advanced to Geuex and Mery Premecy, in the bat the sector just west of Rheims, ac- cording to information received here this afternoon from the battle front.
 The new line shows an advance of about two miles toward Fismes. This gain when seen on the map is of evident importance, for it greatly narrows the salient created by the Germans in their drive of last May.
 It no longer is proper to speak of the pocket as running from Soissons to Rheims, for the new advantage of the entente allies has pulled the east ern edge of the pocket 8 miles to the westward making Mery-Premecy the marker for the eastern rim.
 The mouth of the pocket is now only q miles wide and the whole district between the two sides is un- der the range of entente allied guns.
 The French are continuing their at tack between the river 0urcq and river Marne. They advanced last night for distance of a mile, captur- ing the southern part of Fere forest and they now occupy farm on the main road from Fere-en- -Tardenois to Jaulgonne. The town of Fere-en-Tar- denois is now within 800 yards of the French lines.
 The French last night also pushed we'll forward along the south bank of the liver 0urcq but this morning they found they were in an isolated po- sition and they were compelled to fall back.
 East of Rheims a Polish eontin- gent, attached to the French, made a successful enterprise and captured 213 prisoners.
 It is estimated that there are 400,- 900 Germans fighting within the tri- angle, the sides of which are being squeezed by the allied forces. Obsti- nate resistance and the rugged nature of the country constitute obstacles in the way of closing the pincers at the narrow opening at Rheims and Sois- sons, but the relentless pressure of the allies is gradually emptying the triangle of the enemy masses.
 On the west side of the pocket the Franco American troops have straightened out their line at the ex- pense of the Germans during the past "A hours, this involving a loss to the enemy of about 40 square miles of territory between Armentieres and Vincelles The lien in the lower west ern part of the pocket now runs straight southeast from Armentieres and along this line the Germans have been compelled to give up all the little angles and corners which they had been holding onto as observation posts or strong points,
 The German military nerve center at Fere-en-Tarnenois, which, as the junction of several great roads, was the most important storehouse and distributing point of the Germans, is now under the cross fire from the French and American artillery and must be well nigh untenable. In fact no place in the whole pocket is very comfortable position, with allied long range artillery sweeping back ana forth, with ballons and airplanes di, recting fire.
 Possible evidence of further with. drawal by the Germans is seen or the western flank of the pocket in ths fact that the German artillery fire has grown much lighter all thru the sector and the guns appear to be fir ing from greater distances behind the line as if being pulled back to g place of safety.