The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-05-31
FOCh'S Reserves Arrive on Battle
field and Line Is Stiff
ening.
SIX MILES PROM THE Marine
Berlin Says Number of Prisoners
Taken to Date Total 5000
Claims Large Amount of Loot
Fierce Fight in Scissors.


Germans are multiplying their efforts
in the direction Of Vile en- Tardenois.
1.-THE battle continued during the
day with undiminished violence along
the whole extent of the front.
"On our right and to the northwest
of Reims we are holding our posi-
tions."
Reserves Hold Advance.
French reserve troops, fighting from
the heights on the north side of the
Marine river, have perceptibly retard-
ed the advance of the enemy in the
last "a hours. The net gain in depth,
as revealed in war office reports as
against the line of Wednesday, is
hardly more than three miles.
While giving away slowly in the
center the allies are maintaining their
west and east TANKS by heroic resist
ance. Reims is still holding out, and
the Germans, it is said, have been I'M
able to push out from the steel
drenched city of scissors.
Fifty-Five Miles From Paris.
The troops of the German crown
prince were reported six or seven
miles north of the Marine, or some
what to the south of Fere en- Tar
denois From the center of Paris the
enemy is about ninety kflOmeters, or
So miles away, at the point of closest
approach. This is along the Crise
river between scissors and Hartennes.
From the edge of Paris the enemy
hordes are approximately 81 miles
from their goal.
In this connection it is pointed out
that in the first rush of the invaders
In September, 1914, the Germans swept
to point 80 miles south Of the Marine
before they were compelled to fall
back. They made a stand on the
heights of the Marine, were defeated,
and retreated to the Aisne.
Battle Fury Unabated.
All day the battle has been waged
as furiOusly as ever. General FOch
has thrown forward reserves in num-
bers toward scissors and Reims, and
in the center.
While the enemy has advanced, it
has been much more slowly.
It is believed here now that the
French will make decisive stand on
the high broken country along the
north of the Marine. Even higher
ground, however, lies on the south Of
the river and it is possible this will
be chosen for the great defense.
The Berlin report, however, now
claims their prisoners total $4,000
men, while the booty in war material
Is tremendous"
Penned In Scissors.
The war Office report declares that
the Germans have tried again and
again to debouch from the ruins Of
scissors, but each time have been
driven back. A desperate engagement
Is in progress in the center Of the
battle front, but it is here, reports in
dicate, that the weight Of the reserves
General Foch has brought up is be-
ing felt by the invaders.
On the allies right, to the east,
French and British divisions are re-
ported holding their ground at every
point. They are fighting from the
lower and northerly slopes Of heights
which make fine defensive positions.
Halt Assault After Assault.
About Reims apparently the strug-
gle is continuing with the greatest vi
olence. According to the war Of
flee communique, the Reims defenders
have broken assault after assault.
The Berlin report announces that
German troops have fought their way
to the northern outskirts of La Neuvil-
lette and Betheny, which lie about
three or four miles north and west
of the cathedral city. Their progress
here has been so slow, however, that
there is a growing hope in Paris that
the invaders may be kept out.
Capture of St. Thierry.
The mention in the German report
Of the capture of the forts northwest
Of Reims evidently refers to the for
titled places about st. Thferry which,
it was announced, the allies evacu-
ated Tuesday.
AS to booty, Berlin declares that i'm
mense military stores have been taken
at scissors. Fisnes and along the
line northwest of Reims. These
stores, it is claimed, consist of ammu-
milton, small arms and cannon and sup
plies. They even declare that French
heavy artillery mounted on railway
cars has fallen into their hands.
Foe May Swing West.
With the French Army In France,
May 31.-The Germans in the Cham
payne pushed farther toward the Riv-
err Marine. The intention Of the Teu-
tons probably is to secure a position
enabling them to turn to the westward
with the bulk of their attacking arm
les.
Although the Germans entered SOis-
sons it was only after some Of the most
severe infantry fighting in the present
battle. The struggle for the city be-
gan early in the morning when large
numbers Of German troops obtained
footing in the eastern suburbs Of the
town. Shortly afterWard they were
elected and the allied troops hung on
In the outskirts for some time, con-
fronting with cold steel the desperate
enemy efforts to drive in.
The valOr of the defenders, however,