The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-07-16
Fighting Is Not So Heavy to
the East of Rheims.
Enemy's Progress Has Been
Very Slow So Far.
GREATEST GAIN ABOUT a MILES
Germans Are Now "a Hours
Behind Schedule.
Gives Allies Time To Bring Up
Fresh Reserves.

my tne Associated freSS-J
Furiously launching new attacks
against the allied positions on the
Marine front, from Chateau Thierry to
Rheims, the Germans are continuing
their efforts to break thru the French
and American defense. They have
made progress during the past night,
but it has been decidedly slow in COM
parison with the sweep of the Teu-
tonic legions in their attacks in Pi-
| cardy, Flanders and along the Aisne.
Gain About Miles South of Marine.
1t appears that the enemy. after
crossing the Marine between Dormans
and Chatillon, has reached in this area
| the villages of st. Agnan, La Chapelle
and Monthedon. which are approx
mately a mile and three-uuarters
south of the river, but in the outskirts
| of these towns they have been held
up.
Americans Retain Villages.
| Just to the northeast the Germans
managed to traverse the Bouquigny
wood. but on the southern side they
have been stopped. West of Dormans.
which is twenty-four miles east of
| Chateau Thierry, American troops are
holding the battle line. Unofficial ad-
| vices state that in this area they have
retaken the villages of Fossoy and
| Crezancy south of the Marne. where
the Germans gained ground in the
first rush across the river.
Greatest Gain Anywhere So Miles.
From the French official report It
| is evident that between Dormans and
Rheims the Germans are driving
| toward ths Marne at Chatillon and
along the line to the northeast. Only
| at one point in the ROdemat wood, q
mile and half from Chatillon, how
ever, did they advance last night.
Even there they have been checked by
the French fire. From that point TO
Rheims there is no change in the
situation. The deepest penetration
along the line approximately is three
4 and three-quarters miles northeast of
Chatillon, in the Rodemat wood. This
marks the greatest advance of the
Germans at any point along the line
since their offensive began.
No Material Gain East of Rheims.
East of Rheims the situation also
appears reassuring. The French bat
| tie positions are declared intact and
the Germans have not been able to
advance southwark further than the
outskirts of the woods that parallel
on the north, the ancient Chaussee
Romaine, the main highway running
| eastward from Rheims. They are
being held all along this line as far as
the region north of the town of
Suippe, which virtually overlooks the
easterly limits of the great battle.
In the German offensives during the
spring and summer delay was one of
the prime factors in the situation. The
Germans never have been able to gain
materially when faced by forces that
were numerically equal and all of
their drives have come to a pause
when allied reinforcements were rush
ed up to the threatened points
Outlook Promising.
The Germans are now more than
| I,,fA
and there is little to indicate that they
still have striking power greater or
as great as they possessed on Mon
day morning. when their attacks be-
| gan. The allies therefore seem to
have reason to believe that the SUI
preme test of their defense has been
met successfully.
The battle is not over as yet, and
there may be a possibility If not n
probability, that the German high
command has not played its trump
cards in the hty game that ig GO
. ing on. There is, however, a feeling
of satisfaction over the first phases
Of the new drive and confidence that
the allied forces will continue to re-
, sist as vigorously as they have DUR
ing the terrible first hours Of the con-
flict
German artillery is reported active
in the Albert sector and other regions
along the British 'front.' but there
have been no portentous developments
there.
The British have improved their
positions slightly in the Vi1lers-Breton-
neux sector.
tBy the Associated Press1
East and west of Rheims the Ger
mans are fighting with desperation
, and every resource to bring quick sue
: cess to their fifth offensive of the
| present great battle year Almost ey-
t -aciously ami the fighting zori = be-
/ hind the first line is yet intact s,ons
the entire sixty-five mile front
: Throw in 700. 900 to 100000 Men.
= SuperL resistance by American
+ French and Italian troops held the
Germans to minimum gains. Between
| 100000 and 100000 men were thrown
= into the battle line by the German
command. Despite these huge num-
BIS AMI the uae of very facility ol
offensive and destruction known TO lhs
enemy. Berlin was able to report off,
cially Morday night only that ITO tfs
b southwest and east of Rheims we -en-
Grated into paris the french ] osf-
tions."
- Hurled Them Ba X
vi Large forces were concentrated %
e be thrown across the Marine and
: bridges were lai between Fo~scy and
s Dormans. American troops Gghtins
with great dash met this menace
f checked it and hurled 1t against ths
: river. Near Fossoy the enemy wal
d impetuous Americans who captured
a.