Republican farmer., 1918-08-30

South of Coucy le Chateau they have reached the outskirts of Guny and Pont St. Mard. This, progress brings them still further toward the rear of the German forces holding the hills north of Soissons and within three miles of the German positions north of Chemin des Dames as they stood before the offensive of May 27.
 Shaken by the Allied assaults on the northern and southern ends of the Picardy battle front, the German line is wavering. Along the Disc the enemy apparently is retreating pre- cipitately.
 Allied pressure continues strong along the whole front Unless the enemy can stop the onrush, particu larly in the south, his territorial gains of the present year are in a fair way to be wiped out. Further, if either of the Allied strokes can break through, the old HindenbrSg line itself will be imperilled.
 In the south the French are push ing forward on a front of 30 miles east and west of Noyon, weakening the German line around Rove and northward and providing a grave menace to the Vesla -Aisne line through the crossing of the Ailette and the Oise-Aisne canal northwest of Soissons. North of the Somme, across the Ancre of Mercatel, the British keep doggedly at it after having captured and 5000 prisoners. South of the bend in the Ancre they have crossed that stream to the east on a six mile front for a gain of two miles.
 Noyon, pivot of the German lines in Picardy, still holds out, but the town and the surrounding heights are under the fire of the French cannon. West of Noyon the French are on the Dtvette for a distance of almost five miles. The Oisne has been reached on a front of 10 miles south and east of Noyon and has been crossed at several oints.
 So hurried was the German with drawal from south of the Disc that they were unable to destroy all the bridges across the stream. They also left behind much material and more than 200 guns. French cavalry and aeroplanes are harassing the retiring enemy and over the German positions of two days, even one day ago, French guns and infantry are rushing north ward. Except west of the Disc and along the sharp salient north of Sois- sons the Germans show little signs of holding and probably will retire to beyond the Disc canal, which parallels the river on the north.
 Most stubborn have been the com bats on the front north of the Somme and Field Marshal Haig has had to face bitter resistan~e all along the front. His pressure continues, how ever, and his success around Albert probably will provide leverage to push the Germans farther east, north and south of that sector. North of the Ancre the British and the Germans are struggling violently for possession of towns along the Arras-Albert rail- road and the Arras-B -Bapaume road, but the British have held to their gains.
 Probably the most vital sector to the Germans at present are those from Rove to Royon and that north west of Soissons. If the first should waver and fall back the German po- sition north to the Somme would have to be readjusted. The salient north west of Soissons possibly is most i'm portant, because if it should fall the French would have the heights of the Chemin des Danes outf1anked and be in a position to menace Laon. Con ttnued French pressure on this salient would appear to have the effect of forcing the Germans to retreat from the Vesle within a few days at most
 American troops north of the Vesle have increased the security of their position by clearing out an important point north of Fishes. The Germans attempted a counter attack but were thrown back with loss. Along the rest of the Vesle the Allied pressure is maintained.
 In the Lys salient, in Flanders. the British have made further progress. East of Merville they are approaching Neuf Barquin. North of Bailleul, where the line turns northeastward, the British have pushed forward on a front of 1 F miles.
 German newspapers are admitting that American troops to the number or 1,5OO,OOO may have reached France, but declare the great bulk of the force is not intended for the fight ing line Berlin officially says British north of the Somme on Thurs | day failed. Concerning the situation in the south, it says the French have attacked 'our new positions between | the Avre and the Aisne. The retire l ment south of Noyon on Wednesday is declared to have been "unnoticed'' by the French.