The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-06-29

many parts Of the empire the dis
tressed people are rising against the
authorities, and in Vienna itself on
Wednesday a great and hungry mob
looted shops, stoned the residence Of
the premier and even attacked the
Hofburg palace, in protest against the
reduction of the bread ration. The
food controller is helpless, admitting
that the empires wheat is exhausted
and that the grain supplies from Rou-
mania are small and Of inferior. quail
ity. In Lemburg, Budapest and
Prague also there were serious food
riots, and all through the empire
signs were plentiful that the people
were ready to revolt If they were
not given speedy peace and bread
1t would appear that the time Is
about ripe for the long predicted up
rising Of the oppressed nationalities
of Austro-Hungary-the Bohemians,
the southern Slavs and the Poles. The
Germans expect and fear this event,
and Of course would step In to sup
press 1t by force Of arms. But even
if 1t were not wholly successful 1t
would create diversion in the midst
of "Mittel Europa" that would do
much to hasten the final victory OF
the allied nations over Germany
-@-
Only one operation of moment took
place on the western front last week.
This was a powerful assault on the
allied troops guarding Reims, dfliv-
cred by the army Of the crown PRICE.
About 10000 Germans took parA In
the attack, which was preceded III q
terrific bombardment. The enM my
charged from the village Of Vriiny,
southwest of Reims, and all around
the loop to La Pompelle, the fortified
stronghold on the east. The struggle
was violent in the extreme, but the
Germans were everywhere repulsed
with very heavy losses. Only In the
Sillepry wood southeast of the city
did the enemy gain a foothold, and
prompt counter-attacks by the French
threw him back from that to his old
positions. A great many German
prisoners were taken. They said they
had been ordered to take Reims at
any cost. The fact that the attack
was not renewed by the crown prince
was taken to indicate the exhaustion
of his troops.
Ia
Military experts In France believe
another battle will be begun soon by
the Germans, possibly on the road to
Calais, or between Montdidler and
Chateau Thierry across the Disc and
Aisne to the Marine If they select
the latter sector the Americans Will
again be in the thick of the fighting.
Those boys did not have great deal
to do last week, though they carried
out some successful raids and re-
pulsed every one made against their
lines. From the south side of the
Marine they sent several patrols across
the river in boats, in each instance
killing numbers of the enemy and
bringing back prisoners. Moreover,
not a single German patrol has ever
been permitted to cross the Marine to
the American side.
-h-
The war department in Washington
was strongly urged last week to send
a force of Americans to Italy, not
only to help in the fighting but espe-
cially to demonstrate to the Italian
armies that America Is ready to aid
their country to the limit, thus coun-
teracting the extensive anti-American
propaganda carried on Of late in Italy.
The diplomatic representatives of
Italy here thought 1t would be wise
move, and Secretary Baker intimated
Thursday that American soldiers would
soon be fighting on the Pave front.
-n-
Appeals for an allied army In ST.
IBERIA are growing louder daily, and
conditions In what once was Russia
are becoming steadily more favorable
for such action. The bolshevik power
is waning, though the Leninites still
control the arms and supplies in most
of the centers of population. In west
ern Siberia the Czecho-Slovaks have
Joined forces with the counter revolu-
tiOnists; Tomesk and other towns have
been occupied and a government set
up. At Kiev great revolt has bro
ken out; 10000 armed and organized
peasants are participating and the
movement has spread to the Poltava
and Tchernigov districts. There is
much street fighting, and the revolu-
tionists have destroyed artillery
stores.
Doctor Masaryk, the Bohemian lead
er, conferred with President Wilson
concerning the plans for getting out
of Siberia the $4,000 Czecho-Slovaks