The Little River news., 1918-07-27
GERMANS CONTROL
 BUT ONE RAILROAD
Heavy Loss Inevitable, And if Allies Get ill Range of One Avenue of Escape Utter ROut May
 Follow.

Washington, July 24.-Massed Ger man reserves are holding open the jaws of the trap General Foch has sprung in the Aisne-Marne region. iu desperate effort to stabilize their lines without the crushing of the forces withdrawing from the Chateau Thierry and Marne salients. Officials reports to the War Department, how ever. show that the enemy has but a single railway line remaining in his hands over which to get his heavy material out of the pocket into which he has been forced by allied and American advances.
 The situation was graphically de- scribed today by General March. chief oL staff, in a midweek conference with newspaper correspondents. For the last two days, General March said the employment of probably 15 diyi- sions of fresh German reserves on the Solssons jaw of the trap has practi- cally ste2died the line there. On the eastern jaw front, however, the ene- my has been crushed back more than mile and half On a 1O-mile front, further imperiling his whole position in the salient from which he is en- dcaVo.;ng to extricate lis troops.
 Only O4e Railroad.
 inc railroad running from So,s- sons to Chateau Thierry now is eitl.e. n Cur hands or under fire," General March said, indicating the fronts On ms War maps. The only way in Whea the enemy can get out now. or get supplies over railroad, is by the remaining line from Nanteuil, on the Cured, to Bszoches and Fishes. on the river Vesle
 " It was necessary for him. if he did not intend to be caught absolutely ln pocket, to keep troops from ad- vancing and cutting off this road. which would put him entirely at the mercy of the allied forces"
 General March did not indicate what development the continued bat tie all along the front of the greatly reduced German salient might be ex pected to produce. Among other off, cers, however, the opinion prevailed that General Foch was rushing for ward masses of artillery, which, with alrplanes. would pound the interior of the German positions from three sides.
 Enemy Greatly Exposed.
 As these officers see the situation. he very strength of the German line, loW established will make his losses great from the concentrated fire ot he allied artillery and aircraft. The enemy forces occupy wedge, the center of which is less than ia miles 'lstant from tae hard pressing lines 'I the allies at any point. All his communication lines are within gun 'ange, once the "heavies" get up be- lind the allied lines.
 There is another consideration lacking railway lines on which to naneuyer, the enemy probably is mak- ng desperate efforts to get his big est guns away safely. The attacking mes are backed by circling railways n which long range weapons on rail- 1ay mounts can be shuttled back and orth at will. The German attack on | 'hateau Thierry little more than
 week ago was accompanied by the re of big naval guns, shells from 'hich fell 10 and 15 miles behind in. nes.
 Seeks to Save Big Cans.
 The bitterness of the battle around hateau Thierry and along that DOT on of the north bank of the Marne here the enemy still retains a foot lg, probably is largely due to his de- to stave off Franco-Amer> an attacks from the south at least ntil the big weapons have been drag sd back to safety. The American lvance reported today through Chat ct forest and to the northeast of pieds is beginning to menace serious
 enemy positions further eastward the Marne which are covering his lthdrawal within the salient
 5OO,00O Men in Small Area Y It has been estimated that the 'rmans now have as many as half million men in the limited salient ey still hold. About 40 divisions e said to have been identified there. le irregularly shaped pocket is