The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-07-19


 It was tale of splendid victory and daring that news reports and even the terse official statements told. Hour by hour the extent of the victory grew. What the full effect1o of the blow Will be cannot be estimated until details of the action along the whole 25-mlls front from Chateau Thierry to sois- sons, from which the surprise attack was launched, are available. MAY TRAP ENEMY It was clear beyond mistake, how
 ever, that in the rushSof the first day
 of this answer of General Foch to the German attack east and west or Rheims, the enemy had been placed in a position from which he may have great difficulty in extricating himself, Not only had the German effort west of Rheims and south of the Marne been wholly nullified but all they have ae- complished since the battle Of the Aisne began months ago may be over
 turned.
 There was little effort today to measure the scope of the Franco | AmefIcdn SITOkG.@4F OlllCCI5 VSlV eoO vitally interested in the swift develop ment of the attack as it was unfoldec, bulletin by bulletin, to devote much time to cold calculations such as form the basis for military predictions, lt was the instant news that held them, from General March to the junior staff officers and the war department was3a
 k o1,l- crrir> o a boys overseas wrote new and glorious pages in American history.
 BAKER ENTHUSIASTIC
 Secretary Baker had difficulty in holding himself to cool, unhurried eN- pression. as he dictated to the news paper men later in the day a statement summarizing General Pershing's brief reports Supplemented with the news dispatches, the official account re- vealed, however, the full thrilling story of the dash against the enemy delivered with such gallantry and us such complete surprise that it swept over the first German lines apparently without wavering and rushed onto the objectives deep in the territory the Germans have held for months. During the day Secretary Baker, General March and war department of ficials generally spent much time over the war maps. They read every de- tail of the accounts brought in ovcr press wires and time after time all other business halted while swiftly chan ging battle front was traced out. Until late in the night officials were eagerly receiving every report that came In.
 CLAYTON GREAT MT. Bakers statement paid instant homage to the dash and gallantry of the American forces and his elation as we'll as that of the officers who sur round him. was clearly written be- tween the lines. The statement, which summarized General Pershing's reports as received up to o'clock this after noon. follows:
 "The war department has received from General Pershing official con- firmaton of the opening of the cour- ter offensive along the line indicated in the newspaper dispatches. Ameri- can troops are participating, both as complete divisions and as units in as. sOciation with the French
 ''The first objectives seem every where to have been attained. No ac- curate count has been made, but it 'ss l clear that many prisoners have been ltaken, and many guns and much war material captured
 Our official reports also confirm the fact that the American soldiers advance | with greet dash and gallantry and wers
 still advancing when last heard from l The promising consideration of the counter attack, officers believe, aside l from renewed proof of the fighting Qual- l ities of tie new American armies, is the ! fact that General Foch has now suffi- cient force to unloose major counter 1 stroke, for the blow today is nothing
 less than that, however limited it's ike l objectiveis for today may have beefi. The supreme commander now has shown clearly that a definite turning point has been reached where his resources il. men and munitions are great enough for him to assume at least an aggressive defense.
 MAY EXTEND SUCCESS Whether the present counter stroks will enlarge into an allied offensive cam | mt bn known untl tho ayautS If inc