The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-07-26
ALLIES READY FOR /
COUNTER drive
BY CROWN PRINCE
General Ludendorff Has 40
Divisions Available.
Critics Believe Crown Prince
Will Not Give Up.
EXPECT DESPERATE ATTACK
Would Be Diversion To Help
Situation in Pocket.
LudendOrff Not Likely To Keep
Remaining Reserves Out.
EXPECT DESPERATE ATTACK

Paris, July 26.-GeneraI Ludendorff
apparently has forty divisions of shock
troops still in hand, says Marcel Hutin
In the Echo De Paris. They are
destined or at least part of them, for
an operation calculated to change the
present situation to the advantage of
the German crown prince, but. adds
NJ. Hutin. it is hardly likely that Gen
eral Foch and General Petain will let
the initiative be taken from them now.
Between July Is and yesterday
forty-eight German divisions were
identified in the Marine pocket, says
NJ. Hutin and completely exhausted
divisions are being replaced by half
rested ones.
Expect Huns to Make Desperate Stand.
The newspapers are much pleased
over Thursdays success by the allies,
and believe that the mOmen when
the pocket dug by the Germans will
become sc reduced that the position
will be into1erable is approaching.
4 majority of the military critics
think the German crown prince Will
notireconciIe himself with falling back
to the line of the Vesle without giving
a further defensive battle on the
plateau of Tardenoia. in conjunction
with an offensive battle in neighbour
ink regions. 1t is believed probable
that the Germans also will strike 81
simultaneously in Flanders. The crit
les are convinced, however. that Gen
erai Foch will not let the initiative be
taken from him.
Jaws Slowly Closing.
Washington, July 26.-Slowly but
steadily it appeared today, the allied
forces operating on the jaws of the
Aisne- Marine salient are closing IN
1ipon the army of General Won Boehm.
the German leader. In Washington
today there q
feeling that important developments
may be expected within the next TWEEN
ty-four or forty-eight hours.
In the opinion of some observers,
the two thrusts at the mouth OF the
scissors Rheims salient yesterday, one
nv the British west of Rheims, and in
the direction of Fismes, and the other
he the Franco-Americans in the vi
Unity of Fere- En-Tardenois, presage
the final closing in Of the great trap
witch the strategy of General Foch
hes set for Germany. The mouth OF
+ha salient thru which the German
army is retreatirg is steadily becoming
smaller
Complete Closing Hardly Likely.
There were some officials today
who predicted that General Foch by
a gigantic blow would soon close the
mouth of the salient and thus brlng
about the capture of thousands OF
prisoners and vast stores of supplies
and guns
other officials pointed out that
fresh German units undoubtedly had
been placed opposite the jaws of the
salient and for that reason the prog
ress of the allied forces must be slow
with the possibility that the battle
may continue for some lime.
British Keep Hun Oh Jump.
With the British Armies in France.
July 26.-Every British raid seems to
start something like a panic in the
sector where the kidnapping expedi-
ton occurs.
AS the Tommies are busy man-steal-
ing, the Germans are kept on needles
and pins. Since the allied counter
offensive turned the crown prince s
march on Paris into a harassing rear
guard action, it is known that the
enemy has spent many anxious mo-
ments.
Captured documents show the Ger
man high command is issuing order
after order in an effort to stir its I'M
derlinss to guard against surprise OPP
erations.
Further evidence has been obtained
indicating the proposed offensive
against the British may come soon, as
Ludendorff is known to be under pres
sure from home to do something be-
fore his initiative is lost completely