Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-07-26
CAPITAL THRILLS
AT WAR NEWS
TCOnfinued from First paga I

the enemy back a mile and half
Probably II was this which started
wild reports of sweeping victory.
Stiu later came news of decided
gains by Franco American troops
around Fere-en-Tardenois and north
OF Dormans on the Marne. 1t was
evident that the southern and south
western angle of the German position
were yielding to the pressure against
them. News came also OF important
advances along the Ourcq front
Foch's Trap Closing In
The outstanding fact tonight ap-
peared to be that the enemy's front
was being forced back all along the
sixty-mile battle line. OF the gains
record. the Franco British drive
probably has the greatest possibili-
ties. for it means that the eastern
jaw of General Foch's gigantic trap
is closink in. Other reports show that
the German high command has mass
ed reserves and concentrated artillery
to prevent movement at this point or
at its counterpart. near Scissors
where the western jaw had already
been driven ahead in a weeks fight
Ing and now faced German reserves
assembled from the whole battle line.
should the Franco British forces be
able to enlarge their advance ma
terially. the great trap might be fin
ally sprung by final overwhelming
blows on both sides. In that event,
all of the victories pictured in to-
nights rumors might well be realiz-
ed.
Many Escape NOrthwnrd
To the cool judgment of army Off
GERS, however. the situation did not
warrant. on the basis of any informa-
tion available at a late hour last
night, the assumption that the time
mad come when the jaws of Foch's
great wise might be crushed together.
Knowing what they know of the
strength of the Germans massed to
hold back the menacing flank attacks
they believed it entirely possible for
the enemy to escape northward.
The question in their minds was
whether he had finally determined to
retreat and surrender all the ground
gained in his efforts since he struck
the French lines on the Chemin-des-
Danes last May. or had resolved to
night IL out to a finish where he now
stands, or on lines slightly with
drawn from their present positions
near the Marine.
Yesterdays advices indicated that
further withdrawal was in progress
along the southern loop of the line.
franco-American advances north OF
Dormans shows that points to which
the enemy has clung tenaciously for
days are being taken. Pressure all
along the line from Jaulgonne to the
Ourcq probably has made these most
southerly German positions unten-
able, it was said.
The situation cannot be clearly
gauged until further information is
received as to the Franco British
operations west of Rheims. If the
attack is pressed successfully, it
seems impossible that the enemy can
stabilize his lines south of the Aisne.
The situation on both sides of the
Ourcq is equally obscure. but the
clear purport of all reports coming
in is that the Germans have been un-
able to stem the tide of the attack
and must now either fall back swift
ly along supply lines that are under
shell fire or hurl the whole
weight of their available reserves
into the fight in desperate eleventh.
hour attempt to halt Foch's armies in
Il pitched battle.
No Word on American Losses
Secretary Baker has so far received
no word of the American losses in
the present fighting. There is no
doubt that he construes General
Pershing's silence on this point as