Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-05-29
Allied Commander Has
Aisne Situation
Well in Hand.
FRENCH FALL BACK
TO EDGE OF SOISSONS
British Also in Retograde Move
ment Near St. Thierry-Battle
Goes on Fiercely.

Goes on Fierceiy.
PARIS, May 29.-In the
center, says the war office
announcement, fighting is
xoing on with varying sue
cess on the heights on the
southern bank Of the Vesle
river, where the French
troops are bravely and ad-
mirably defending their
positions.
By the Associated Press.
PARIS, May 2o.-Gen. Foch
now has the situation we'll in
hand and French troops are be-
ginning to gain on the German
advanced forces in a contest of
speed. No important line of
communication is yet threatened
by the advance of the German
crown prince.
Those on the scene declare it
is not too much to say that an
other forty-eight hours will see
the German drive definitely
stopped. High praise is given
the French reserves for the per-
feet order in which they, are
coming into the fighting line.
The French troops have fallen
back to the eastern outskirts of
scissors, where the battle con-
.tinues with bitterness, the
French war office announced this
afternoon.
Franco-British troops, the
statement adds, have fallen back
to the heights south and south
east of St Thierry, where they
are holding positions between
the Vesle and the Aisne canal.
French in Heavy Attacks.
= PARIS. May 2s.-Heavy counter at
tacks by the French troops stopped
the German advance on the heights of
Observation-Disclosures and yregny.
northeast of scissors. and other
heights dominating the valley of the
nee statement tonight. The Germans,
however. succeeded in crossing the
vesle in the region Of Bazoches and
Fismes. The text of the statement
: reads:
Last night and today the enemy,
taking advantage Of his numerical
superiority, renewed his thrust more
strongly toward the southwest of
6oissons. On our left we counter at
tackled vigorously. stopped the German
advance and broke up attacks on the
heights of Neuville-sur- Margival and
Vregny. northeast of Soissons and on
the heights in the region of CRY Sal
eogne and Vasseny. dominating the
Vesle valley.
Reach Line Of Nesle.
'The principal effort was directed
toward rolling back the center on the
i, line Of the Vesle. which the Germans
succeeded in crossing at several
points. notably in the region of Ba-
xoches and Fismes.
"On our right the British withstood
the assaults against the massif of St
Thierry. inficting particularly heavy
losses.
West Of Montdidler the Americans
supported by our tanks, brilliantly
occupied a salient along a front OF
two kilometers and the strongly forti-
prisoners and war material. They re-
pulsed counter attacks"
Using Twenty-Five Divisions.
By the Associated Press.
WITH THE FRENCH ARMY IN
FRANCE. May 2s.-At least twenty
nve German divisions today Joined in
tho attack and forced farther back
the few French and British divisions
holding the line. Tanks. machine
guns and poison gas shells were the
principal factors in the successful ad-
vance. aside from the numerically
superior forces of the Germans.
The German offensive made onl,
slight progress today. Seeing the
heavy masses opposed to them, the
allies gave way in the center and in
some places the enemy crossed both
the Aisne and the Vesle.
The allied command perceived wher
the German offensive began that re.
sistance on the lines then held would
be impracticable and effected a with.
drawal toward stronger positions In
order to givethe reserves time to come
up. The enemy found both tanks were
holding. however.
The Germans pushed forward as
quickly as possible with all the troops
at their disposal. The allies gave
way, fighting hard. Both the French
and British troops on the tanks Tough,
with extraordinary courage and sue.
ceeded in holding on. notwithstand.
ing the great odds against them. Ir
some places they were outnumbered
ten to one.
Tho enemy now has the Aisne at his
back and may find himself in ar
awkward position when the allied re.
Z serves come into action.
AS the troops fell back with virtually