The sun., 1918-06-02
Heaviest Fighting on Long
Sector From NOyOn to
Chateau Thierly.
CENTRES ALONG OURCQ
Six Mile Advance Made
There in Day, but Some of
Ground Is RewOn.
RHEIMS LINE HOLDS FIRM
Enemy Using 100000 Men,
but Large Reserves Of Allies
Are Now Engaged.
RHEIMS LINE HOLDS FIRM

Snscin' cable Despnsrh TO THx sux.
'opyr'ohf. 1915: all ri0hs reserred
LONDON. June 1.-The battle Of the
Aisne is rapidly becoming the new
battle OF the Marne. with the possi-
bility, according to some military stu.
dents. OF merging with the renewed
battle of the Somme. This Is indi-
Gated by the German attacks north
west Of scissors by which they have
Strengthened their line from Scissors
to Noyon. linking up the Aisne-Marne
area with the Amiens battle-ground.
Undoubtedly the purpose Of the Ger
mans in this attack Is to leave no
part Of the former front Of the Allies
mistaken. with the object OF prepar-
ing as broad a front as possible on
which to develop their great plans.
the execution Of which depends on
success or failure on the Marne.
Hold II Miles on Marne.
The front reached by the Germans on
the Marne. according to the latest 70.
ports, is about thirteen miles in breadth.
1t now forms the apex OF the salient and
lies between Chateau Thierry and Yer.
neuil, just east of Dormans. The west
side OF this N.shaped salient. from
Chateau Thierry through Soissons to
Noyon, is more than ffty miles long:
| the east side. running from the Marne
, to Rheims. is about thirty miles.
The base of the salient between Nov-
| ons and Rheims Is about sixty miles.
with an effective opening between Sois-
sons and Rheims of less than thirty-f1vs
| miles. This is the deepest salient in
proportion to its width that has bcen
| made in the whole course Of the war. The
| result Of Yesterdays rapid advance to
| the Marine was not followed by broad
| enng the head of the thrust, but it was
| sersiby narrowed.
The Germans. having reached this
Marne. are now seeking to spread out
the head Of their advance and also to
strike at the western side Of the salient,
| between Scissors and Chateau Therry.
| All along this line the French are re-
| ssting with great tenaoi.y and the Ger
! mans have made very little progress
| since Wednesday
striking Along Ourcq.
Further pressure against this line BY
the Germans would suggest that they In
| tend to develop an offensive more toward
| Paris along the OurcQ. 1t Is estimated
that between Rheims and the English
| Channel the Germans had some sew
enty divisions Of reserves tnearly 1000.
| 900 mem at their disposal and that
| forty-five OF these t63o.O00 men) have
been used III the Aisne offensive, which
| would stll leave more than $4,000 men
| for use should the Germans decide to tr,
| to force a way toward Paris. II Is not
| unlikely that they would use their other
reserves in advancing on Paris nv the
! Disc as we'll
| n this theory is sound. yesterdays at
! tack on the French lines between Soils
sons and Noyon Is preliminary to such
n movement down the valley OF tho Disc
in the direction OF Compaigne. the be-
ginning OF which has been timed TO CO.
| incide with the arrival OF The Germans
on the Marne Such a plan would on
tail greater movements than any YET
seen even IN this titanic offensive
Reserves Are In Position.
| II" SITUATION uIluOuDte0ly II ~nCQl
and the responsibility resting upon Gen.
| Foch is tremendous. only counter Of
| fensiNs can restore the position COM
! pletely in favor of the Allies. Such q
! counter offensive will be delivered best
when the enemy's exhaustion Is at it's
/ greatest. French expert in an article
cabled this morning from Paris says:
THE French General STAN has de-
! clared that some OF our reserves are
=, now liked on the German objectives and
that 1t possesses forces capable OF ar
| resting the enemys advance
While these manoeuvres are in prog
ress the situation must remain grave.
| Heavy hghting was reported as going
on throughout the night Should Gen
I.udendorfr pivot his left flank on tho
Marne and. turning westward. make a
| drive for Paris the area OF tremendous
! lighting would extend from Ourcy to
Scissors thence TO Eoyon on the Disc
! and probably to Montdidier. still fur
thcr west, forming an immense curve.
London rress Comment.
The London newspapers, discussing
: the progress OF the great battle. stress
| heavily the coming part that tho United
States will play in tho war. The Daily
Mail says;
The strong points in favor NJ tho
; Allies are the greatness OF their cause.
| the unity of command and the rand ar
rival Of the American troops. which will
reesta hlish speedily their preDonderance
in numbers, Great Britain and Francs
| have to hold firm until the United
| States, with its vast resources in men,
money and ntcl!icencc takes the field
| The Daily Tc!r0raph. comparing tho
present conditions with tho time OF the
hIs, Battle OF the Marne, says:
we can a, least be sure that there II