The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-07-31
GERMANS IT BAY.
STRIVING Desperately TO HOLD
ALLIES.
Crown Prince Believed to Have Used
All Hiis Available Men In Resistance,

London. July 26.-On all sides Of
the German salient the allies are re-
ported today to be continuing to make
progress. except on the heights be-
hind scissors. The German resist
ance to the French pressure has been
very determined In this latter Sec
too. The advance reported else
where are for the most part light.
Between the Ourcq and Chateau
Thierry. the Franco-American line
now shows an advance beyond the
line OF a week ago Of from six to eight
miles. M
IA q result of the past weeks activ-
tiles the whole situation on the wes-
tern front has been transformed. The
herman, according TO dispatches from
the front. have used SIS divisions on
the Champagne front and the whole
or the Crown Princes reserves have
been exhausted. The only fresh re-
serves remaining to the Germans are
less than 80 divisions attached tc
Crown Prince Rupprecht's armies.
Last week II appeared certain that
Prince Rupprecht would be called up
ON TO launch an attack on the British
front but the enemy put Off this at.
tack and the psychological moment
Tor II probably has passed for the Ger
mans appear committed to the great
battle I'm progress and can not afford
to stake heavily on a dubious opera
uon at another part OF the front, ac-
cording to the view Of British ex-
perts.
The German situation in the SAL
lent. although awkward. is not un-
tenable. The enemy's difficulties are
not greater than those In which the
British army was placed for many
months I'm tho Ypres salient. before the
capture OF Messines ridge.
The Ypres salient was FIVE miles
wide and Ave miles deep and was DOM
mated by the enemy. The present
German salient In now 20 miles wide
and 20 miles deep, and. similarly. is
dominated by the allied artillery. Evil
dence has reached the allies In the
shape of captured documents to show
that the enemy has made up his mind
ON the day after the allied offensive
began to undertake retirement to a
line along either the Ardre or vesle
snd had actually given orders for this
but their orders were later cancelled.
presumably owing to the dificulty of
affecting an orderly retirement In the
pinched salient. and II is now possible
the German command has decided to
rstafn the present positions as long
as possible.
Meanwhile. the military writer's
point out. the allies are using up the
German reserves In battle where the
Germans are continuously I'm a disad-
vantageous position so the situation
10 entirely satisfactory to the allies.
III the enemy remains In the salient ne
can not possibly undertake any i'm
portant offensive therefrom and the
allies could not hold them lightly and
devote their energies elsewhere. One
reason for the German abandonment
OF the plan for retirement Is found In
the reports OF allied airmen which
show tremendous congestion along the
line OF German communication. The
Germans may be merely holding on as
long as possible I'm order to effect an
orderly withdrawal and remove the
vast accumulations OF stores and mu-
nitions which have been gathered in
this district ready for great advance
southwark.
Undoubtedly a big effort will be
made TO straighten out the confusion
which now exists along all the arter-
les Of the salient All these arteries
are now constantly under the allies
shell hre and work along them must
be very dificult.