Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-16

Washington. July 15.-An air of ela- tion was apparent in government cir | cles tonight as Associated Press des- patches from France unfolded the 1 story of the valiant stand of American | troops along the Marne against the l renewed German offensive.
 1 Official advices were slow and no formal report on the German effort to drive the jaws of a great pincer l movement about Rheims on a sixty five mile front was available at late l hour. Press reports made it clear, 1 however, that the enemy had not only been stopped but hurled back by American counter attacks along the Marne, where the Americans hold the left flank of the great battle front, while the French army aided near Rheims by Italian divisions, stood fast over the far greater extent of the line they defended against fierce assaults by the enemy.
 Reports Eagerly Awaited.
 At the White House the president read the account with interest that did not wane. At the war department Secretary Baker, General March, chief of staff, and other high officers at the department received eagerly the brief glimpses of the battle flashed across the country in press bulletins from the battle front. Every line of The Associated Press rerort, which was promptly relayed to ! m as the wires
 brought it in, was st ! jed with grow
 ing delight as it beca.Ae apparent that
 the enemy had met with a decided check in the first rush of his greatest
 effort thus far.
 The fact that credit for stopping the
 heaviest parts of the assault thus far
 reported belongs to men of the first ] American corps added to the feeling of elation officials had difficulty in con cealing.
 After reading tonights reports, Sec
 retary Baker made the following state ment to The Associated Press: Secretary Bakers Statement. , "The attack made by the Germans
 is evidently the result of careful
 preparations. It covers a wide front . and is made in force. We are at the . end of the first day of great battle . The reports so far are encouraging h and seem to indicate both heavy fight
 ing and effective resistance along the
 entire front"
 e The prompt and hard driven coun- h ter attacks of the American troops al n two points sent glow of enthusia SIT IT. through the whole war department
 when the word first came. Before the
 results were known, the fact that tht q counter attack had been launched wa: {. cheering. It showed the Americans Il were meeting their first great tes Q like veterans and that the German at
 tempt to overrun them had failed tt
 disorganize or demoralize their fightins if power.
 s Then came word that at Vaux no e only had the enemy been stopped bu IS his advancing infantry had collidet
 with Americans who first deluged thei
 opponents with machine gun fire thel "A leaped forward to disrupt completeh a the blow at this section that had beel l. in careful preparation for more thal x, thirty days.
 > All Doubts Set at Rest.
 Meanwhile meagre reports from Lon
 don said the Marne had been crosse |. by the enemy at several points De er tails were awaited with some appre y hension. Hour by hour the story fl r. tered in but the bulletin that told C d the hurling back of the foe in tn
 Condo sector where his first rush ha
 pushed back the Americans out of tn r. salient they held opposite Jaulgonn' 1t did not come until tonight Its mes 1e sage set all doubts at rest Again tn ad enemy had been outmatched by tn 1y Americans. He was driven back |
 
 trapped proba biy by the destruction ( te their bridges behind them were takel rr,- Studying the Map.
 s Tonight Secretary Baker. Gener' yl March and other officials were late { o- ;I,n donartmont. studying the map ur . i on which this first great trial of II
 American army was taking shape [
 more details came. The French of
 riaf statement fully controlled u
 cheering unofficial reports that ha 6 como previously. It showed that u Cerrens ha'i heen virtually held fa ,, aIcne t'1c v-7oie great extent of Il U" fghting inc theH- had selected. At il
 close of :}e first day of the battle Il
 orerav rva< 70 nearer his objective al p,- naran.ly than vhen he poured h in 1 masses torwa~d at daylight. all Desperate Fighting is Exoected. n- FurtEcr d7srerate fighting is expec ed. T. is rot conceivable here that Il rng C;errner sirh command will be contel = n abandon nr0inct of the scope !. tod7r'S enterprise without repeated Q fo>ts to. overcome his initial failIFr ,,d Tfc oa-e'and ne fact. however is th ,o- for t'-o Gr=t time since the GeTT75
 l7Ger'>a'- was launched aCainst T i1I Hrf-isr - March lie crcn~ has faii4  - tvrelvr roi,rs of fir7'ti1r a1thouEh in has always beo0 ha'd that TO mai
 offensive pronerlv sheltered undcr 2
 tiIlery preparation could he stopp,
 short
 What tomorrow may bring for Ir c9anot he told. No detailed stateme
 of conditions along the great ba t lie front has como in. There is a fir
 conviction here. however. that the en
 my's measure has been taken definite = and that the line will hold. no matt Ng what force he hurls aga inst it. Ter, GU e.. torv may he surrendered. but decisi f!}SS military victory is believed to he ia III ther away for the GeEman1 toni@ -* than at any time since tho high co, IiS nand sent is forces forward ,o, March.
 we Preparations For the Assault.
 | The care with which preparations