Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-08-14
Marne and Picardy
Veto les Reu;v;ng
Spirits Of French
FLY the Associated Press. ]

~ /.
Paris, Aug. S.--Aside from the direct
military results. the effect Of the allied
Offensive movements on the morale OF
both the French army and the civilian
population can not be over-estimated.
An Associated Press correspondent
has just concluded trip from the
.Vcsges to Scissors. He found a won
,derful reaction behind the lines. The
urban and rural populations display q
renewed spirit, Of confidence. Already
in the battle region the farmers are
returning to gather tie harvest left
standing, and the villagers are making
their way back to what remains Of
their homes. In the towns the stores
and inns are reopening. and Paris
looks upon the muttertngs Of big
Bertha" as the last spiteful effort OF an
exasperated enemy.
The Franco British offensive in the
Amiends region tnaugairated the fourth
Phase OF the 1913 operations, which
began with the German drive against
the same sector in the closing days of
March. The Champagne drive was the
third and the great peace offensive,
while that delivered against the Sois-
sons Rheims sector is classed rs the
second phase. It came after the first
blow. which brought the enemy into
the Amiens region, temporarily forcing
the British back from long-occupied
terrain.
Reviewing these four months Of
battle the allies may feel content. The
German objective now Is clear. His
strategy has followed the obvious
course. In March his purpose was two
fold: FIRST to cut the northern rail COM
munications to the channel ports, and
second. to establish western jaw in
the Champagne SCISSORS Rheims vi
cinitys and close slowly on Paris. His
one success was toward Amiens. The
last forty-efght hours proved that that
was but temporary, as time counts in
this war. Elsewhere the enemy not
only has failed, but ne has met with
reverses.
I'm the Scissors Rheims and Cham
payne operations the enemy sought to
intrude the eastern jaw of his pincers
and by dominating the Champagne
HEIGHTS to force himself in between
i
time open a direct southern route to
the capital. He met with resistance
which in both physical and moral as
poets he apparently was not prepared
for. His quick recoil in the scissors
Rheims sector after the Franco meri-
can counter offensive. later splendidly
supported by quickly moved British
units. is regarded by the military au-
.thorities here as demonstrating not
only the superior intelligence service
of the allies. but the enemy'ss under
estimation of his opponents. At the
same time the stubborn German re-
treating action in this salient shows
that his own army morale is far from
being demoralized.
French. American and British troops
who fought the enemv in the\last two
weeiss over the bitterly contested
ground. from the Marine to the vesle
give testimony not only to his valor
but also TO his strategy. He had pre-
pared for victory but had not neglected
the possibility of defeat. and com
PEELED the allies to pay commensurate
price for their gains.
Day by day dispatches have told the
story Of hard fighting in this hill and
valley region where belts of forest
crown wheat fields and hills slope to
creeks and ravines There were roads,
entertainments. and natural defenses
everywhere. making perfect fighting
ground, and every village was fought
for. The salvage dumps accommodating
behind the Allied lines testify to the
size of the enemy effort and the great
ness Of his hopes, but extensive as they
are they do not amount to fraction
Of that which he destroyed during the
slow move backward toward the Aisne.
In this fighting the allies felt the
first physical effect of the downfall of
Russia. Much of the war material
which has fallen into allied hands was
that supplied to Russia by the allies in
happier days. Officers who inspected
the dead and questioned the prisoners
say that the German clothing was of
good quality, that the arms were in ex7
Ecellent condition, and that the rations
taken from the dead and wounded as
the allies advanced were plentiful and
nutritious.
The effect of the Amiens success on
the SCISSORS Rheims situation is yet
problematicaI, but the best relief is
tat it will accelerate the enerny's
+ " ID.