The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-07-29
GERMANS, ESCAPING FROM TRAP,
FLEE FROM WHOLE MARINE SALIENT
A SEVERE DEFEAT
BUT NOT A SEDAN
BY The Associated Press


North of the Marne the tide of
German invasion is fast ebbing.
The fact that a general retreat in
this region is being made is not
questioned, and the only question
Of moment remaining to be cleared
up is the location of the position
at which the enemy will turn at
bay.
Since Saturday morning there
have been important changes in
the line between scissors and
Rheims, To-day it runs nearly di-
rectly east from 0ulchy-le Chateau
to Fere-en- Tardenois, then crosses
the 0urcq and continues eastward
until it reaches the Dormans.
Rheims road northwest of Rheims
mountain. II has been contended
by military experts that the Ger
mans might elect to stand on the
line of the 0urcq river, from which
their heavy cannon might dom
mate the Paris.Chalons railroad
along the Marine. This idea now is
proven erroneous. II appears that
there is no defensive position
south of the Vesle river to which
the Germans can retire and organ
ize their resistance to allied pres
sure. The only other defensive po-
sition seemingly possible is the one
Ahof fAff1s.He he Ataxn unl NaaIn
from scissors to Fismes and from
that point follows the course of
Ardre river toward Rheims. Burn
ing villages along the line of the
Vesle from Soissons to Bazoches
are reported and tend to confirm
the impression that the Germans
do not contemplate organized re-
sistance south of that line.
There is every indication that
the German high command has
succeeded in extricating its forces
from the trap sprung by General
Foch. The resistance OF the Ger
mans for a week after the begin
ming Of the allied counter er-offensive
probably gave the Germans time
to withdraw their heavier guns
and large proportion of their
supplies from the salient. This re-
sistance was very strong along the
line south OF Scissors as far as
0uchy le-Yille and to the west and
southwest OF Rheims, which were
the vital sectors of the battle line.
The advance of the allies east of
Oulchy Chateau soon must com
pei the enemy to evacuate the line
from the Oureq river toward Sois-
sons for a considerable distance.
Nearer Rheims. however, the Ger
mans seem TO hold positions that
win provide a pivot for their re-
treat toward the Vesle river.
In this region the allies were
this morning getting very close to
the Ardre river, which forms a
protection to the right flank of the
enemy positions near Rheims.
As the situation now stands the
IeT ildiie iHuht uF tuU5taeiCH "
have suffered a severe defeat north
of the Marne, but it is not
Sedan.
While the Germans have been
busy getting their forces back out
of the bag between Soissons and
Rheims, their forces farther north
again have been attacked by the
British. Australian troops attack
ing on each side Of the Bray -Corbi
road, east of Amiens and north of
the Somme river, took two lines of
German trenches over a two-mile
front. The Australians also cap
tured 100 prisoners.
This operation is Just TO the
north Of Hamel and Villers- Breton
neux, where the Australians and
Americans, early in July, won a
local victory over the enemy. Far
ther south is the line over which
the French have more recently ad-
vanced to dominating positions
along the Avre river.