The sun., 1918-07-21
French and Americans Are
Within Mile and a Half
of scissors.
OURCQ SALIENT WIDENS
Forces of Crown Prince Be-
low That Stream in Peril
of Being Cut Off.
FIGHTING IS DESPERATE
Foot by Foot Allies Are Clos
ing In on the Enemy From
Three Sides.

LONDON, July 20.-"Not Ger
man remains south Of the Marne to-
night except the prisoners and the
dead" says the Reuter- correspondent
at French headquarters I'm a message
filed this evening.
Tremendous fighting was in pro-
gress all day yesterday and to-day on
the stretch from Fossoy to Oeuilly,
distance of eighteen miles, and early
In the day the Germans, outfought
and Outgeneraled, already had begun
to retreat across the river. The
French night report says that more
400 guns have been captured up to
date, and the entire southern bank
Of the river has been cleared.
The Germans have sent in enor-
nous numbers Of reserves in an at
tempt to hold the Franco American
advance Oh the western side Of the
old Marne salient long enough for the
Crown Princes army to extricate
itself That 1t will succeed in doing
this is not clear; the probabilities are
that not all Of 1t will be able to pass
out through the neck Of the pocket
telling blows, and that the Germans
are on the verge Of great military
disaster. There Is still chance,
however that the bulk Of the Crown
Princes army will get out.
Americans sim Unchecked.
The advance of the Franco Ameri-
cans has not slowed down, except that
inevitable slowing which OF necessity
follows it's extremely rapid start. The
Germans. despite their huge reinforce
ments, have not been able to check IL,
and the only loss of speed comes from
the necessity Of bringing up guns and
supplies. AS matter ut fact the ad-
vance made yesterday was better than
that OF the preceding day. Attackins
most vigorously on the whole bntt.e
front of twenty-five miles from the
vicinity Of Soissons to the village of
Belleau, five miles northwest Of Che
teau Thierry. the Allies advanced or
an average about a mile on the entire
line between noon and o'clock last
night, while on the Rheims front the
French advanced 1000 yards between
Souain and Auberive and made soma
| progress near Pourcy. They captured
the town Of Marfaux, southeast of
| Bligny.
British troops are taking a hand
in the fighting in this district, 40
cording to the night report from Paris.
| which reports additional gains to-day
on the western side OF the small
Rheims salient.
Soissons according to the latest re
ports was still in German hands, but
the French and Americans are within
mile and a half of the city and
American artillery, posted on the
plateaus to the southwest, is reported
to be doing heavy execution there The
guns command the city and its sp-
proaches. the Allies advance having
extended from Montague de Paris to
the village OF Belleau. southwest of nrd
close to Scissors. The penetration ef-
fected by the Allies since the offensive
began is from seven to ten miles along
the whole front.
Americans sim Ignored.
In efforts to conceal the truth from
the German people as long as possible
the German official statement to-day
was almost amusing. 1t asserts coolly
that while the French made some gains
their thrusts southwest OF scissors, in
the centre of the line and northwest OF
Chateau Thierry, were repulsed, and II
| alludes to enormous losses suffered by
the French. The name American still
is taboo; It does not occur In the 70
port, which. however, asserts that the
Germans were withdrawn from the south
bank Of the Marne without being no.
ticed by the eHcn","
Early adv!ces from the field OF the
Franco American offensive between the
Marne and the Ainse report the allied
line running as follows:
From Relleau northward to the west
OF Monthlers and on to Sonne!ans, Mont
Chevillon. the I3ois de Lud. Geronemil
Farm. lie Plessier Hueu, Parcy- Tigny
CilIe Montoire, Berry le Sec Courmelles
Montaigne de Paris, Pernant and Fon-
tenoy.
Real Offensive sim to Come.
The scope OF Gen. Fochs plans ha.
not yet developed 1t s the subject OF
much speculation by the military writ
ers here and in the French capital. One
view there, perhaps the prevailing view
is that the drive is still local op-
Grafton" designed and carried out for
the protection of Rheims and that Gen
Foch cannot yet be ready TO undertsk,
(