The Little River news., 1918-07-27
UKP W FINGERS TIGHTEN
(Continued from page 1.)

with a feeling of expectancy as of great events impending. Rum0rs of decisive victory ran through official icircles like wild fire Untraceable re- ports were current that the army or the German crown prince had been trapped and even that the crown prince himself had been captured.
 Official reports gave no foundation on which the feeling Of suppressed excitement could be based.
 1 Earlier in the day a press dispatch told of rumors in London that the British west of Rheims had scored a decided success and advanced toward Fishes, the German rail base midway between Soissons and Rheims Later reports confirmed this to the extent of a stride forward by British and French forces on a three-mile front | just west of Rheims, throwing the enemy back mile and half Prob ably it was this which started wild reports of a sweeping victory.
 Still later came news of decided gains by Franco-American troops around Fere-en- -Tardenois and north of Dormans on the Marne. It was evident that the southern and south western angles of the German posi- ton were yielding to the pressure against them. News came also of important advances along the OurcG front.
 Enemy Forced Back. The outstanding fact tsnight is 1 that the enemy's front is being forced back all along the battle line. Of the gains recorded the Franco-British drive probably has the greatest pos abilities, for it means that the east ern jaw Of General Foch's gigantic trap is closing in. Other reports show that the German high command had massed reserves and concentrated artillery to prevent movement at this point or at it's counterpart, near So.s- sons, where the western jaw had al- ready been driven ahead in a week S fighting and now faces German re- serves assembled from the whole bat tie line.
 Should the Franco-British forces be able to enlarge their advance mate, rially the great trap might finally be sprung by final overwhelming blows on 10th sides. In that event, all of the victories pictured i'll tonishts rumors might be realized. Heavy Enemy Loss.
 Aisne-Marne Front, July 25.-With l the sides of the Soissons-Rheims sack coming steadily closer together, the German crown prince's generals are driving their men mercilessly in aD effort to hold them off long enough to extricate the armies threatened at the bottom, north of the Marne.
 The American and French troops are never far behind the retreeting forces, and the vicious rear guard &C., tions are not sufficiently resistent to enable the Germans to proceed in the orderly manner planned. At Dor mans, north of the Marne, and east of Chateau Thierry, the Germans counter-attac acked, taking the position but were promptly driven out.
 Enemy Loses 20O,000 Men.
 Nearer Soissons, the Germans fail ed to hold all their positions, notwith standing achievements and their desperate need.
 It is estimated unofficially tonight that the enemy losses are more than 100000, of which 5O,O00 were inflic.- ed by the Americans. The prisoners alone number over 10000 and the losses in dead and wounded are ap- palling.
 The French used more armored cars than usual and cavalry or mounted patrols were effectively employed in clearing the forests and maintaining contact
 Toward Soissons, there has been in- creased artillery work and bitterer and steadier fighting. The French and Americsn soldiers disregarded caution almost entirely yesterday, ad- vancing their lines in open order and taking what came without bothering to hunt down machine gun nests. This the main Eody of the retreating forces.
 -W S.S-
 ENEMY PLANES DOWNED