, 1918-08-22
NEWS REVIEW OF
THE GREAT WAR
Allies Continue Their Advance in
Picardy Steadily but
More Slowly.
ROVE AND N0YON IN DANGER
First American Field Army Is Formed
Situation in Austria and Russia
lmproved-Man-Power Bill In
troduced in the Senate.
BY EDWARD w. PIckARp.

Moving more slowly but steadily and
with determination, the allies last
week pushed the Germans further
back in Picardy. General Won Boehm,
the Hun retreat specialist" having
been placed in command on the Somme
front, put up an increasingly strong
resistance to protect his withdrawal,
and the fighting became rather local
lied. The fiercest struggle was toward
the south end of the battle line, where
the French were forcing their way to-
ward Noyon. Overcoming tremendous
resistance, they drove the Germans
from most of the massif or heights of
Lassigny early in the week, II also
moved forward in the Disc valley.
Then they gained a secure footing on
the Thiescourt plateau and thus dom
mated most of the country northeast
of them for miles. This movement and
the ~unceasing pressure of the British
from the %northward imperiled the en-
emy's position in Roye, although he
chung with desperation to that city
and to Chaulnes further north. Along
much of the line he was holding he
1luu Nv uuNuilukt VI tbS oit
and wire entanglements built by him
prior to July, 1915,
r Whether Won Boehm would elect to
try to make a prolonged stand there,
or fall back on the much stronger
Peronne-Noyon line was not revealed,
but observers believed he would choose
the latter course, and the fact that
he was Withdrawing his troops north
of Albert strengthened this view. He
evacuated the towns of Beaumont,
Hamel, Serre, Puisieux au Mont and
Bucquoy, taking up positions on
heights more easily defended. Along
the Somme, on both banks, the British,
with the able assistance of some
American troops AVE been advancing
slowly, taking Bray and Etinehem.
"a
In the advance on Roye and Noyon
from the southwest the French have
been fighting over extremely difficult
ground with numerous ravines that
furnish cover for the innumerable ma
chine guns the Germans have been US
ing. But the French kept bringing up
their artillery and cleaning out these
nests, and long before the end of the
week they had taken Ribecourt, on
the Disc, and had Noyon under o m
tinual. fire, rendering 1t almost unten-
able.
On the Soissons-Reims front the
fighting was mostly confined to repeat
ed but futile attacks on the Americans
1t Fsmes, Fismette and the neighbor-
ing region. Artillery of both sides was
very active along the vesle river.
"a
Although the Picardy offensive RAJ
slowed up somewhat, army officers see
no indication Of a letting down on the
part Of Marshal Foch. On the con-
trary, they predict that another great
drive will come soon, either In Elan
dsrs or between the Disc and Scissors,
and expect movements of far greater
scope in the neal future. The Ger
man high command seems to have ac-
cepted defeat and to be trying to get
nj of its difficulties as best IL may.
The effect of this on the morale of the
soldisry is quite evident in the pris-
onsrs taken, and its effect in Germany
is reflected in the press, which admits
failure on the west front, as else
where.
Early in the week 1t was announced
that the First American field army, of
five corps, had been constituted with
General Pershlng as commander. 1t
is understood that this army will by
itself hold the eastern part of the line,
to AIsace, and some officers believe an
all-American drive east Of verdun may
rome soon.