The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-06-01
Greater Effort Elsewhere, Hun
Prisoners Say.
Disagree as to Exact Point OF
Effort, However.
BATTLE LINE NOW Is MILES
Germans Occupy. Is Miles on
the River Marne.
Have Crossed Disc at One Point
in North.
BY WILLIAM PHILIPS SIMS.


June 1.-While the armies of the
Prussian crown prince are thrusting
southwark across the country trav-
of the first phase of battle. the Ger
effort to deceive the allies as to future
turnings of the offensive.
Some prisoners claim one thing;
some another. All probably are
primed to mislead their captors. Some
declare the Rheims offensive is mere
ly secondary and that the real blow is
yet to come. Others say the main
thrust is to be toward Ypres
1t is hardly possible that Foch and
Haig will fall for such cock and bull
good notion of the main plans of the
enemy and will act accordingly.
Smelling and bombing of areas far
in the rear of the lines continues.
Poperinghe and the Flemish battle
fields, the Arras sector and the Somme
country are principally involved.
Occupy Thirteen Miles on Marine.
Paris, June 1.-The Germans now
occupy thirteen-mile front On the
north bank of the Marne between
Chateau-Thierry and Verneu but have
failed to force crossing of the river
at any point. the French official COM
munique indicated today.
The British and French still hold
Rheims.
Violent fighting occurred yesterday
evening and last night on the left
flank, south of scissors, the French
hurting the Germans back on the Crise
river by counter-attacks recapturine
Chaudin and Viezy and taking several
hundred prisoners
Sharp fighting is going on along the
road from Dormans to Rheims, on the
right flank.
Battle Line rs Miles Long.
London. June 1.-The battle in the
south Is now progressing over the en-
tire seventy-five mile line from Noy-
on to Rheims. combining the entire
new front with nearly half the south
| ern portion of the Picardy front.
In the center, the Germans have
reached the northern bank of the
Marine river, representing the maxi
mum penetration of twenty-eight
miles. The night communique of the
French war office says the Marne has
| been reached "by weak German
forces" between Charteves and JauI-
gonne, front of less than two miles.
| about five miles east of Chateau
The German war office refers
vaguely to the Marne being reached
ito the south of Fere-en-Tarden enois. -
Unofficial reports declare the Ger
mans are along the northern bank of
the between CDdlodu-Tn1erry and
Dormans, front of twelve miles.
Have Crossed OiSc
On the allied left wing, the Ger
mans have crossed the Disc east of
Sempigny. about two miles south of
Noyon, but are held on the western
bank of the river. Further south,
the enemy crossed the highway run
ming from scissors southwark to
Chateau-Thierry and occupied Oulchy-
le-Chauteau and Oulchy-la-Ville, mid
way between the two former cities.
On the right, British and French
continue tc hold Rheims, altho the
Germans are developing their drive
down the Ardre valley to encircle the
city from the southwest. Rheims is
now at the northern apex of a very
acute and dangerous salient.
Greek Troops Make Gain.
The Germans claim a total of As 900
4, prisoners, together with more than
400 cannon and thousands of ma
| chine guns"
| In the near east, \ Greek troops,
supported by French artillery, have
attacked the Bulgariaps along the
Struma river. forcing them back more
| than a mite on a nine mile front, in
| the vicinity of Srka Di Legen. More
| than 1900 Bulgarians and German
prisoners were taken including thirty
| three officers in addition to a large
amount of material
| Field Marshal Haig reported nothing
| of importance on the British northern
/ front