The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-05-29
REINFoRCEMENTs
WILL CHECK GERMANS
IA.oullnued from page.

tAoullnued Ironl page IL
belonging to French and American
regiments on the Lorraine front,
between the Mouse and the Mos
ellie" This is the so-called Toul sect
Tor. Allied communicates have men
toned only enemy gas Smelling IN
this aera.
Battle Line Of 1856 Miles.
lBy Henry Wood, United Press
Staff Correspondent
WITH THE FRENCH ARMIES IN
THE FIELD, May 28.-The German
attack in the Soissons-Rheims sector
extended the offensive front from
Rheims to the Flanders mountains,
until now it constitutes battle area
800 kilometers (186.3 miles) across.
There is every indication that the
present attack is an integral part OF
the original German offensive plan.
1t is positively known that during the
winter Ludendorff prepared two
great attacks, one against Am1ens ana
the other against Rheims. He concen-
trated the necessary reserves nun,
dred klometers (62.1 miles) behind
the lines at central point from
where they could be sent at NOM
ems notice to either point.
Ludendorff left the choice OF
which sector he would attack first
until the last moment, for the pur-
pose of confusing theoallies.
The final choice fell on Amlens.
This being checked, he still had the
Rheims attack to fall back on. This
is now being carried out in precisely
the same manner as the drive against
Amfens. The enemy troops apparent
ly had been trained for either attack.
The reserves concentrated a hum
bred kilometers north of Rheims
were rushed to the front Sunday
night in forced marches. Following
brief but unusually intense lombard
ment Monday morning, including
gas, picked and specialized assault
ing troops, including the fourth ana
fifth divisions of Prussians, which leo
the Amiens attack, leaped to the as
Sault.
The British and French retired in
perfect order, without permitting
single break in their lines and In
flicting the heaviest losses on the
enemy.
If the present attack is merely sec
ondary, its principal objective Is the
tying up of the French reserves to
prevent their intervention in the fin
al great offensive to the northward.
The German press recently
charged that the German high COM
mand made a mistake in not tying up
the French reserves before the
Amiens attack.
Enthusiastic over Americans.
lBy William Philip Simms, United
Press Staff Correspondent
WITH THE BRITISH ARMIES IN
FRANCE, May 29.-Eyery Briton,
from Haig down to the soldiers, is
enthusiastic over the way the Amer
leans licked the Germans in the
Montdidier region yesterday morn
ing.
When entered a room filled with
British officers yesterday afternoon,
thew spontaneously broke out in a
storm of handclapping. They had
lust heard that the Americans had
taken Cantigny, and it was their way
of showing their pleasure.
1T is not the size of the show
that counts in that affair. but the
spirit back of it," said one. 1T is
both threat and a promise"
He meant it was threat against
Germany and a promise to the allies
of bigger things in the future.
/ have known Cantigny well. 1t Is
village which boasts chateau, sit
uated on a spur about $50 feet above
the valley of the Avre, below Mont
didier. With Grivesnes and Mesnil-
st. Georges, it is one of the most
important points in this part Of the
line.
The British army is eagerly watch
ing progress OF the battle along the
Aisne, where already four British
divisions, the Eighth, Twenty-first,
Twenty-fifth and Fiftieth, have meas
ured steel with the German storm
ers, against the combined rush OF
Hindenburg's fourth and sixth armies.
The British are ready to respond to
any call Foch may make.
AS this is cabled, Franco-British'
counter measures southwest of Ypres
have practically restored the situa-
ton. Smelling continues along the
wide stretches of the British front,
large percentage of the shells being
various kinds of gas. An enormous
number of gas shells were thrown in
to villers-Bretonneux in one day.
Huge forces OF German reserves
apparently remain inside the Mont
didier bulge, within equal striking
distance of the Amiens front or the
scissors -Rheims sector. There is
reason to believe these are backed
by tremendous quantities of materials
of all sorts and guns of all calibers,
held in places where they can easily
be swung to the westward or south
ward.
Successful Raid.
LONDON, May GIVE took few
prisoners and machine guns in a sue
cessful raid southeast of Arras last
night" Field Marshal Haig reported
today.
"A few prisoners were taken west
of Merville last night.
"An attempted enemy raid be-
tween Givenchy and LaBassee was
repulsed
"A hostile attack south Of the Ypers-
Confines canal against one of our
posts was repulsed after sharp fight
ing