Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-05-28
British and French Lines
Fall Back to Prepared
Positions.
HUNS CROSS RIVER
AT ONE POINT
While Making Expensive Advance on
Aisne Front, Attae<s In Foroe Near
Mount KENNEL are .RspuIsed With
Heavy Losses, Balancing In Part
Gains in South-Aims Of. German
Commanders Not Yet Apparent

from the Chemin des Danes, after
carrying that important ridge in
the opening Of their new offensive
yesterday, have pushed on rapidly
and effected 4 crossing Of tho
Aisne river between vaiIly and
Berry -Au- Bae.
This represents front Of nearly
twenty, miles along which the
armies Of tho crown prince on.
gagged in his great drive have
crossed the Aisne. In addition they
apparently have pushed at sone
points distance from the river
and are striking for tho river
vesIe, which parallels the Aisne
along tho greater part Of this front
at an average distance Of about
five miles.
Tho vesIe at its most southeriy
( point in this sector 10 approx.
mateiy ten miles from the German
point Of departure but the German
penetration 10 apparently consid.
erabIy short Of this depth.
The battle 10 continuing fiereeIy
all along the Aisns front today, tho
brunt Of il being borne by tho
French, before whose line there
seemed to be tho greatest concern
tratiens IT the srisniy.
The French line Of communica.
tion here 10 exosIlsnt and the prob.
ability is that reserves are being
speedily sent up TO place before
the Germans q force that can Of.
feetuaIiy stop them.l
When the battle started the Brit.
ish apparently held line about
twelve miles long between Bermi.
court, seven miles northwest Of
Rheims and CraconelIe, across the
tAisne TO tho northwest, tho line
straddIins tho Aisne at about mid.
way this distance to Berry.Au.
Bao.
There 10 no indication that tho
British right flank was materially
affected by tho shock. The left
flank, however, felt the effect Of
tho impact upon the Frenoh front
farther west where crossing Of
the Aisne was forced, and the Brit.
ish left was obliged to fall back in
conformity.
Tho British line to the west OF
Berry -Au.B Bao 10 now wholly south
Of the Aisne, according to the indi.
cations in today's official statement.
Tho German attack in Flanders
was evidently a subsidiary affair,
not even on the scale Of some Of
the previous offensive movements
there, altho there was extremely
heavy concentration Of troops for
tho limited front attacked. The
French bore. the brunt of this blow
and repuIsed il with tho loss Of
scarcely any ground, tho Germans
succeeding only in pushing in
something like a half mile south Of
Diekebusch lake, about, four miles
southwest Of Ypres.
This morning the British and
French made a counter attack in
this sector which was progressing
we'll at latest advices and promised
to turn the whole German effort on
the northern front into q complete
failure.
Military opinion seems to be
swaying between The Wow that the
southsrIy attack by the Germans
between soissons and Rheims 10 tho
main effort in the resumption Of
his offensive, or whether he is
planning to deal q greater blow at
the Amiens front, whore his first
great stroke was delivered this
spring. In view Of the persistence
with which the Germans are fol.
lowing up their success in storm.
ina the chsmin des Danes il seems
probable that the former opinion
will gain strength and that do
termined effort will be made to
drive for Paris. AZ
Gains Of tho armies of the Ger.
man crown prince on the Aisne
front have been balanced in part
by the sanguinary repuIse Of fur
ther attempts to, push forward
southwest 1of Ypres. In prepared
second line positions along the
Aisns the Franco British forces are
offering strong resistance to the
Germans, who are pressing on to
cross the river, while on the
Flanders front the French success
fully countersd tbe German at
tacls.
Altho the Germans attacked on
the southern flank on front Of
thirty five miles in great strength,
4 Il is not yet clear what 10 behind
the operation. Probably several
days will pass before the situation
3 defined clearly. ] wo possibili-
4lss stand out-that the Germans
felt Il necessary 20 widen the ell
bow AROUND Montdidier, or It was
featSd General Foch might begin
: seuntsr offensive toward Laon.