The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-05-31
ALLIED LINE
DRIVEN BACK
IN POWERFUL
HUN STROKE
Tide of Advance Flows Less
Swiftly Toward the Marne
= Aisne Battle Front Is
Linked with Somme.
FRENCH BREAK ATTACKS
(By Associated P-ess)

fBy Associated P-ess)
Keeping the tide of the advance in
the center flowing strongly although
Marne. the Germans simultaneously
have executed a stroke on the allied
left flank that has extended the bat
tie line westward and virtually linked
up the present battle field with that
Of the Somme
The attack was delivered along the
Aillette river northwest OF Scissors
Sweeping forward in the salient that
projected between the Somme and
the Aisne battle fields the Germans
drove the allied line back SO that it
now runs northwestward from the vi
cinity of Scissors to the Disc river,
apparently at its point of junction
with the Disc canal.
The advance in the center has now
brought the Germans within two miles
of the Marne, at one point, Paris dis
patches report. The wedge here ap-
pears increasingly narrow, however.
and on it's flank below scissors and
Rheims the enemy is reported firmly
held.
Foe Attacks Broken.
The French war Office announces
the breaking down of enemy attacks
in the scissors area and to the south,
while on the allied right the line ex-
tending northeastward toward Rheims
from the neighborhood of Vezilly ap-
pears virtually unchanged. The Ger
mans failing in all their efforts to
win ground.
The energetic defense on the right
wing is exemplified by the fighting at
Thillois, three miles east of Rheims,
where the Germans entered the town
only to be driven out by French
counter-attack. By such resistance
the safety of Rheims Is momentarily
safeguarded but observers of the oper-
alton view it's ultimate fall as appar-
emily inevitable.
The probability of German penetra-
ton right up to the banks of the
Marine in the center OF the advance
is likewise indicated in the news dis
patches.
On the British front the Germans
are active with their artillery east of
Amiens and in the Albert region to
the north as we'll as on portions of the
Flanders front, but no infantry move
ments of note are reported.
In the Toul sector on the French
a successful, raid
Every Progress Stacks.
Baffled in their efforts to strike east
ward and westward from the new sali-
ent in the allied lines, the Germans
with their heavy forces before the
allied resistance becomes strong
enough to halt them entirely. In the
is slackening as the allied reserves are
being thrown into the battle
Heavy fighting continues all along
the Aro-shaped salient from Scissors
to Rheims. Struggle as they will
against the French defense on the
west around scissors, the Germans
are unable to gain. In the region of
Rheims the same story is true as the
British and French divisions there
stand firm.
By penetrating to the Marne or
southward from Fere-en-Tardenois,
seven miles north of the river, which
they now hold, the Germans apparent
ly hope to spread out eastward and
westward, as they failed to do further
north, and thus outflank the strong
allied positions at Scissors and at
Rheims French resistance in the CEN
ter, however. is growing In strength
and the Germans are getting farther
and farther away from their original
base along the Ailette.
Capitals Unharmeo.
Paris and London view the situation
more favorably and in neither capitol
is there fear that the German offensive
will become as serious a menace to
the allied defense as the original on
slaught in March
Although the salient is about ls
miles deep in the center, Paris is not
much nearer nor has the enemy ad-
vance yet affected the allied lines
eastward from Montdidier In fact.
the Germans would be in a dangerous
position should General Foch strike
eastward along the Aisne from Sois-
sons. This may be the purpose of
the allied strategy in holding strong
ly on the flanks as the Germans get
deeper and deeper into the pocket to-
ward the Marne
Air Fighting Intense
The aerial activity over the terri
tory of the German advance is most
intense and French airmen have
dropped many tons of bombs on en-
emy targets in addition to bringing
down nineteen German machines.
Berlin claims the capture Of much
war material including a number of
Continued on Page Twelve.)