Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-05-27
Most Intense Effort to Ad-
vance is Between Rheims
and scissors.
OFFENSIVE AIMED
MAINLY AT FRENCH
kaiser's War Chiefs Select Southern
Part of Lines Now Held Jointly by
Great Britain and France and Posi-
bly, Reinforced by Americans-Sim
uItaneous Attack Also Made in
North in Lys Salient.

Germany has resumed her big
drive for a decision on the west
front after lapse of about four
weeks, striking in the south be.
tween Rheims and scissors and in
Flanders on tho northerIy side Of
the Lys salient.
The effort apparently is stimuli.
taneously to push thru to tho chan
mel ports in tho north, thus break
ing up tho British front and to
strike for Paris in. the southern
district in an effort aimed mainly
at tho French.
American troops may be taking
part in the new battle. Early in
the spring there were several
references in news dispatches to
Americans in that part of tho line.
Part of these forces consisted OF
artillery detachments in training,
but at one point at least infantry
men were in tho trenches.
There has been no recent refer
ence to Americans there. however,
and they may have been with
drawn.
Since the pig German attack of
March 21,-Aalted after the disas.
trous reverses in Flanders in April
the Somme region has been neg
lected by the German command in
this new thrust. The possibility
exists, however, that the fighting
will be extended to this area as the
battle develops. The southeriy
blow covers front Of forty miles
and is by far tho more important
Of the two. It has como at point
not considered as tho most prob
abIe fold for tho renewal Of the
German attempt. The fact that
both the British and French troops
are holding this front gives indica.
ton that General Foch, has large
forces massed there.
Il was on this front, between the
tip Of the Montdidier salient and
Rheims, that tho enemy flank was
most dangerously exposed and
where he must have felt himself
most vulnerable to an attack. u
this attack here is to cover a main
effort elsewhere or vertable
drive at Paris, the possibility re.
mains that it was launched in an
attempt to drive the allies from
their advantageous positions along
the Disc and the AilIette, thus fore
staIIing flanking counter effort
by Foch's great reserve army.
The stroke In Flanders, while Of
far less magnitude, covering a
. front of less than ten miles, is new
ertheless aimed at points which tho
Germans must take before they can
hope to carry their April advance
further toward tho coast.
Behind tho Locre- -voormezeeIe
area lie tho hills which constitute
the backbone Of the Franco Brit
ish position, only tho outlying
peak Of which the Germans cap
tured when they took Mount kem.
mel last month. Scherpenberg,
Mount Rouge, Mount Descats and
other eminenees are yet barring the
way to the Germans.
The allied positions along both
fronts under attack are notably
s.rens. Thi. !. particularly true Of
the southerIy line, guarded by tho
rivers Oise and AiIIette and the
chemin des Dames ridge, which tho
German crown prince spent many
weeks last summon trying to take.
Not only did no fail but was forced
still further back last fall by Gen.
oral Petain, in tho Finan region,
who drove in for depth Of two
miles a day and compelled the
Germans to fall back to positions
behind the Aillette.
In the north the French recently
have strengthened their hold on the
hill regions in local thrusts and
capturing important high ground.
In general the allies seem we'll pre-.
pared for the thrust.
Tho front between tho Disc and
Rheims offers the allies excelIent
facilities for defense. The Germans
already have sustained two serious
defeats on this front.
Last summer they attempted an