The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-07-16
IS MOST
SERIOUS
REVERSE
Won Hindenburg Gets Worst
Check of Year in Failure
to Advance Yes
terday.
AMERICANS BLOCK PATH
Time Table Of German War Machine
Disoreanized and in Need of
Most Exten-ive
Revision.
AMERICANS BLOCK PATH
[By J. w. T. Mason, United Press War

[By ]. w. T. Mason, United Press War
NEW YORK, July 16.-Von Hinden-
burg has received the most serious
check of the year and has failed to
draw General Foch's reserves away
from the defenses of Paris and the
channel ports to the eastern side OF
the Aisne-Marne wedge. Some slight
German gains have been registered,
but the inability of Won Hindenpurg
to advance at crucial points has been
particularly noticeable in the three
sectors held by American troops.
North of Ghateau-Thierry, south Of
the Marine, opposite the Jaulgonne
bend, and east of Rheims. are the prin-
cipal sectors where decisive checks
have been administered to Won Hin
denburg In each case American par
ticipation in the fighting was the de-
cisive influence
To the east of the American area,
south Of the Marne, the Germans have
extended their front slightly, but the
effect of this purely local success has
been greatly lessened by the American
victory in the Jaulgonne bend. 1t is
here that the principal railway from
the south runs into the allied front.
By driving the Germans Lack in this
area, the Americans have saved the
line of communications On which they
and the French are now depending for
their munitions. This is fact which
must rank as a major accomplish
ment.
Won Hindenburg is now apparently
concentrating his forces at the south
east corner Of the Aisne-Marne wedge.
His purpose is to try to move east
ward along the Marne to Epernay. 1t
is a reckless adventure, without strate-
gic value. The affair of the fifth Of
fensive, in fact, increasingly seems to
have been planned in desperation.
Starting the first offensives toward
the west. the German beast has been
so successfully headed off that he has
described a. half circle and is now
blindly trying to move eastward. In
stead of Paris, the objective is now
Epernay. where the champagne comes
from. There are thousands of bottles
in the cellars of Epernay. A drunk
en- orgy as the objective of a main Of
fensiye That seems to be the final
ideal for which the German people are
heing slaughtered at Won Hindenburg' S
bloody command.
Abandon Main Offensive.
TBv T. w. r. Mason, United Press
War Expert.
NEW YORK, July 16 (2:15 p MI
Won Hindenburg has been compelled
to abandon his main offensive today
and to modify it into local assaults,
through having failed yesterday to
gain an initial impetus
The history of the four previous
German offensives this year has
shown that Won Hindenburg can pur-
sue his new tactics of ruthless
slaughter only if his troops are able
to move forward with an overwhelm-
ing rush at the very beginning OF
their drives. The check admins
tered to the Germans yesterday, es-
pecially by the Americans, has had
a decisive influence on today's fight
ing. Won HindenbuTg's timetable
has been disorganiZed and he must
pause to rearrange his battle plans.
This has not previously occurred to
the Germans after only twenty-four
hours fighting. The effect upon the
morale of Won Hindenburg's army
will be all the more pronounced for
that reason. To compel his men to
attempt to go forward in further use
less sacrifices apparently has ap
palled even Won Hindenburg himself
Therefore, today the battle is limited
to detailed operations while the
kaiser is trying to figure out how Sc
many Americans got into so many
first line positions along the west
ern front all at once.
Widow and Orphans Bill.