Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-07-29
Place Where Defeated
Armies Will Make Stand
As Yet Unrevealed.
BURNING VILLAGES
ALONG VESLE RIVER
Huns Apparently Have Abandoned
Plan Of Establishing Lines There
Succeed in Withdrawing Most Of
Their supplies-otfieial Denial From
German Headquarters That General
Won Hindenburs 10 Dead or III.

[Ry the Associated Press. ]

rNoTth VI Cne Marne the tlQe OF Ter
man invasion Is fast ebbing. The fact
that a general retreat in this region is
going on is not questioned and the one
question ef moment Is the location of
the position at which the enemy will
turn at bay
Since Saturday morning there have
been important changes ip the battle
line between scissors and Rheims. To-
day it runs almost directly east from
cpuichy-le Chateau to Fere -Tard-
enois, then crosses the Ourcq and con-
tinues eastward until it reaches the
Dormans~ Rheims road, northwest of
Rheims mountain.
It has been contended by experts
that the Germans might elect to stand
on the C'urcq river from which their
cannon would dominate the Paris
t-hallons railroad. This idea now
proves erroneous.
Il APPEARS there is no defensive
position south Of the vesle to which
the Germ ans can retire and organize
their resistance to allied pressure.
Germans Burning Villages.
The orly other position defensive
ly possible is the one that follows the
Aisne from Scissors to Tismes and
from that point follows the course Of
the Ardre river tward Rheims.
Burning villages along the vesle
from scissors to Bocheles is reported
and tends to confirm the impression
that the Germans do not contemplate
organized resistance south of that line.
There is every indication that the
German nigh command has succeeoed
in extracting its forces from the trap
sprung by General Foch. The resistance
OF the Germans for week after the
beginning Of the allied counter Often
sive probably gave them time to with
draw their heavier >guns and much Of
~hetr supplies. This resistance was
strong from scissors to Oulchy-la
Vile and west and southwest Of
Of the battle line.
Must Evacuats Ourcq.
The advance of the allies east Of
Oulchy-le-Chateau soon must compeI
the enerny to evacuate the line from
the Ourcq river to scissors for a con-
siderable distance. Nearer Rheims,
however, the Germans seem to hold
positions that will provide pivot for
their retreat.
In this region this morning the allies
were getting very close to the Ardre
river, which forms the right flank Of
the enemy positions near Rheims.
AS the situation now stands the
Germans must be considered to have
suffered a severe defeat north Of the
Marine, but 1t Is not a Sedan.
British Take Up Battle.
While the Germans have succeeded
in getting their forces back out Of the
bag, the Germans have been hit once
more by the British. Australians, at
,tacking on both sides Of the Bray
Corhie road, east Of Amiens. and north
of the Fol river, took two lines Of Ger
man trenches over a two mile front.
The Australians also captured 100
prisoners
This operation is just to the north Of
Hamel and Villers- Bretonneux. where
the Australians and Americans early
in July won local victory over the
enemy. Farther south is the line over
which the French more recently ad-
vanced to dominating positions along
the Avre river.
Official denial is made from German
headquarters that Field Marshal Won
Hindenburg either is dead or in poor
health His health is reported to be
excellent.