Arizona republican., 1918-07-26
Battle Continues With Great
 Vigor and Eastern Jaw of General Foch's Gigantic Trap is Closing In
Republican A. p. Leased Wirc1

"A. F.
 WASHINGTON, July 25.-with American, French and British forces pressing the enemy hard on all sides of the Aisne- Marne battle front, the air of Washington was electric tonight with a feeling of expectancy as of great events impending. Rumors of decisive victory ran through official | circles like wildfire. Cntraceable re- | ports were current that the army Of I the German crown prince had been trapped and even that the crown prince himself had been captured. | Official reports gave no foundation. on which the feeling of suppressed ex- citement could be based.
 l ''The latest dispatches" said Secre- tary Baker, "show continued advances in several places by French, British and American troops. They are not extensive, but are important and show | that the battle is continuing with great vigor.''
 Anglo French Forces Advance
 Earlier in the day a press dispatch told of rumors in London that the British west of Reims had scored de- cided success and advanced toward | Fishes. the German rail base midway between Soissons and Reims. Later reports confirmed this to the extent of a stride forward by British and French forces on a three-mile front just west of Reims. throwing the en- emy back a mile and half Probably it was this which started wild reports of a sweeping victory.
 Still later came news of decided gains by Franco American troops around Fere-en Tardenois and north of Dormans on the Marne. It was evi- dent that the southern and southwest ern angle of the German position were yielding to the pressure against them. News came also of important advances along the Ourcq front
 Retreat Along Line
 The outstanding fact tonight ap- 1 peared to be that the eneny's front was being forced back all along the sixty mile battle line. Of the gains recorded. the Franco British drive prob ably has the greatest possibilities for it means that the eastern jaw of Gen. eral Foch's gigantic trap is closing i'm Other reports show that the German command had massed reserves and concentrated artillery to prevent movement at this point or at its coun- terpart. near Soissons. where the western jaw had already been driven ahead in weeks fighting and now faced German reserves assembled from the whole battle line"
 Should the Franco British forces be able to enlarge their advance material ly, the great trap might be finally sprung by final overwhelming blows on both sides. In that event. all of the victories pictured in tonights ru- mors might well be realized.
 | Time to Close Great Wise
 To the cool judgment of army offi- cers. however. the situation did not warrant. on the basis of any informa- tion available at late hour tonight. the assumption that the time had come when the jaws of Foch's great wise might be crushed together. Knowing what they do of the strength of the Germans massed to hold back the menacing flank attacks. they be- lieved it entirely possible for the en- emy to escape northward
 The situation cannot be clearly gauged until further information is received as to the Franco British operations west of Reims. If the at tack is pressed successfully, it seems impossible that the enemy can stabil- ize his lines south of the Aisne
 Exaggerate American Losses
 Secretary Baker has so far received no word of American losses in the present fighting. German press re- ports of tens of thousands of Ameri can dead before their lines are pu out as sop to the German people, i, is believed.
 MT. Bakers attention was called tc the German dispatch referring to in, American troops as further "cannor fodder" put into action by the French
 The best information we have" h, said, seems to indicate that they (th Germans) are themselves supplyin: most of that material at the presen time.
 We have no reports on our owl casualties as yet. but our people hay a much better opportunity to know OH losses than the Germans have becaus we are taking ground they have bee giving up, and in that situation W have superior opportunity for ob servation.''