The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-06-19
FRENCH CHECK
new THRUST
LAUNCHED BY
THE GERMANS
Active Battle Front is Extend
ed Five Miles Southeast of
Rheims Foe is Repulsed
With Heavy Losses.
FRONT "a MILES LONG
(By Associated Press)

Standing firmly before the
war stricken city of Rheims, the
French have checked new Ger
man drive launched last night,
five days after the offensive on
the Montdidier-Noyon line came
to a point five miles southeast of
the Cathedral city.
At 6 o'clock Tuesday evening
the German artillery began a
heavy bombardment between
Vrigny west of Rheims, to the
village of La Pompelle on the
north bank of the Vesle river
east of that city. Three hours
later the Teutonic infantry
stormed out of their trenches to
begin the assault. According to
the official statement issued at
Paris the Germans were nowhere
successful in their attempts to
enter the French lines, being re-
pulsed with heavy losses.
14-MiIe Front.
The front over which the new attack
was launched is approximately IA
miles in length. 1t has been expected
that the Germans would sooner or
later attempt to straighten out their
lines in this region because the close
of Aisne offensive left the Allies in a
favorable position along the front
from the Marne east of Chateau Thier-
ry to the region north of Chalons.
Having interior lines they were able
to concentrate their forces on either
side of the angle having its apex at
Rheims.
The ground over which the Ger
mans are attacking west of Rheims
is rather high and irregular To the
north of the city it is more level and
to the east the French being between
the enemy and the Vesle river. would
be operating at a disadvantage were
it not for the wooded hills they hold
on either side of La Pompelle between
Montdidier and the Noyon last week
is rather difficult to trace except that
a Strengthening of the line would be
of advantage to the foe.
Raiding operations are reported
and Lys sectors.
Defense Line Holds.
Fierce attacks are being made by
the Austrians to overcome the Italian
resistance along the Piave but the de-
fensive line still holds. Apparently,
the enemy sees his only hope of sue.
cess in enlarging his gain acrosss the
Piave. having been given a disastrous
check in the mountains from west OF
Asiago to the Piave
In the mountains the Austrians
have been generally on the defensive
since they were checked and thrown
back over the terrain gained Satur-
day in the first day of the offensive.
The French and British around Asiago
are under a heavy bombardment by
the enemy and the French Tuesday
repulsed strong local Austrian effort.
Along the ValSuganna and against
the Bastien of Monte Grappa, the
enemy holds further attacks in abey.
ance.
Along the nearly thirty miles Piave
line, the situation has not improved
greatly from an allied standpoint, al
though the Austrians have been de-
feated at most points in efforts to en-
large their gains. Where and in what
force the enemy has crossed the river
and how far he has progressed into
the venetian plain are not outlined
clearly but apparently the Italians
have not given much ground on the
north around Mountello and on the
south of Capo Sile.
Favorable to Italians.
From their foothold on Montello, an
important plateau three by eight miles
In extent which dominated the country
between Bassano and Treviso, the
Austrians are making violent Attempts
to drive the Italians off the height
while the Italians are fight
ing just as determinedly to keep the
enemy close to the river bank.
The fighting the past two days has
been favorable to the Italians. In the
center from Maserada to Fossalta, the
Austrians are being held we'll in check
and have been unable to make any
progress, across the Piave, despite re-
peated attempts.
Seemingly the Austrians have push
I'd back the Italians several miles be-
tween Fossalta and Capo Sile and
along the Fossetta canal, which runs
southwest toward Venice. Capo Sile
Is in the lowlands along the Adriatic
but if the enemy reaches the Fossetta
Canal to the north. he would be on
drier ground and better able to push
toward Mestre and outflank the line
1orthward along the Piave.
What gains the enemy has made,
however, have been hardly commen.
surate with the preparations made, the
shells expended and the lives lost.
E,mDerOr Charles unless hie %roon-
IAN make swifter progress. will have
% call off his hunger offensive" and
ace the populace at home. Reports
lave reached Switzerland. that social.
site riots occurred in Vienna Monday.
Local attacks and intense artillery
ire here and there mark the lull on
The western line. The French and
British have improved their positions
At isolated points between Rheims
and Ypres. while repulsing enemy at