Evening star., 1918-06-02
Further Extensive Gains by
Crown Princes Armies
Are Unlikely.
LOCAL SUCCESSES
CERTAIN, HOWEVER
Fierce French Attacks Indicate
Definite Stand by Allies.
FOE MAY REST ON MARINE
Possibly Will Await Developments
in Amiens Region, at Rheims
and in scissors Region.
FOE MAY REST ON MARINE
BY OLIVER OWEN KUHN.

pSAl1u ~ prevent liz NNi mans
from making extensive gains
as the days pass by. The
weight of reserves which Gen.
Foch has thrown into the con-
flict is turning the scales in al
lied favor. 1t must be expected,
however, that local successes
will continue to be scored by the
Germans at many points along
the line reaching from Mont
didier around Scissors to the
Marne and back up to Rheims.
Intense fighting such as is 60
ing on at the present moment is
certain to bring local changes.
The best sign of allied purpose to
stand against the Germans is given in
the extremely
French Attacks fierce French
Indicate Purpose. between sois-
sons and the Marine Though the Ger
mans have been momentarily held. there
is reason to believe that the crown
prince will attempt further to broaden
the salient to the east and to the west.
not only to insure safety in the further
offensive operations, but reduce the
chance of his forces being quickly cut
off in this pocket by allied counter at
tacks.
The Germans may rest on the right
bank Of the Marine until issues pending
on the southerly side Of the Amiens
sector and in the region of Scissors and
Rheims have been determined.
The German movement in the gen.
eral direction of Paris got under way
Monday when. possibly. twenty-five
divisions of troops under the COM
mand of the crown prince struck be-,
tween Scissors and Rheims, and by
guns and tanks. swept the compare
lively lightly held allied line back
ward from Craonne, the Chemin des
Danes. swept on to the Aisne, cross
ed it and the Vesle and then began
their march for the Marine. Though
the allied command evidently had
anticipa.<d some possible enemy en-
deavor in this region II is more than
likely he refused to take a chance on
materially weakening allied posi-
tions in Flanders and before Amiens.
though British troops were dispatch
ed to this arena to take a place
alongside the French. The Germans
struck hard with such force that the
allied retirement was natural con-
sequence. and the advance continued
until French reserves, rushed to the
scene began to make their weight
felt. Though the Germans are bat
tling on the Marine today, after a Sc
ries of spectacular actions and ad
vances. there is no reason to believe
allied reserves are not sufficient to
stem the tide when it becomes ex-
ceedingly critical. The situation. as
has been pointed out, Is only serious.
The crisis is yet to come.
Though hammering the allies back
ward in the center of the line the
Germans failed to turn French and
British fianking positions at Rheims
and in the vicinity of scissors. True
SCISSORS fell. but the French took
positions On the outskirts which were
stronger than those within the city.
The new German effort on the ALL
lette is a move intended to gain what
frontal attacks at Scissors has not
achieved. the moving of points OF
allied resistance so that the whole
to scissors may be cleared of allied
troops and menace to the German
flank in the Amiens salient removed
at the same time, giving greater free
dom of action toward the Marne.
The German program is exceed
ing confidence in Paris and London
that it never will be achieved. for it
generally is believed that Gen. Foch's s
army of maneuver. which is expected
to strike the finishing blow to Teu-
tonic ambitions in this war, will be
equal to any task placed upon 1t and
that it can be hurled into the breach
at any point
The only fears entertained are for
the allied system of communications
which. If disrupted. will consider
ably restrict the movements of this
army of maneuver.
Though the advance on the Aisne
front held the attention OF the world
during the most of the week the Ger
man effort TO win back positions lost
TO the French between Locre and
EormeZeele created a furry, for at
the moment it was believed to be a
renewed effort to reach the channel
ports. The Germans gained a few
points. but later lost them under
French and British counter attacks.
American forces have distinguished
themselves during the week by their
brave action in the Cantigny region.
where the town was seized and Amer
ican lines established well to the east.
The Germans have delivered almost
seven counter attacks and have at
tempted to get others under way but
American fire and American courage
have been equal to the tasks and
boche has been severely punished
The Cantigny action has won plaudits
Of British and French peoples as an
example of what may be expected
when the full fighting forces of the
United States get into action on the
western front.
Z
Though the action may be relative
ly unimportant in bringing about q
decision. tn.
italian Spirit feat of Italian
a44 troops in the
Al glacial sections
Of the Tonale district northwest oil
Trent undoubtedly will go down ir
history as one of the most darins
attacks of the war. Alpine troop,
scaling precipitous slopes and crag.
trians and get sweet revenge fol
their defeat some months back
During the past week Italian force.
also struck forward on the lowel
Piave. IN the Cape Sile region. wher,
in an advance Of several hundred
yards several enemy positions wer.
more than $4,000 feet above the se,
level fought valiantly against tn,
Austrfans and when they had com
piatsd their operations had won Mont,
Zi1olon, Presena and Monticello pas