The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-07-26
United Press
War Summary

1,454th day Of the war; ninth day Of
the counter offensive.
Soissons-Rheims front: Voluntary
retirement of the Germans within the
huge pocket apparently has stopped
under political pressure, but it is con-
tinung invoIuntarily under allied pres
sure.
French, Americans, British and ItaI-
ians are biting off sizeahle chunks Of
the salient, taking a village here, a
wood there, or sweeping across open
fields.
The most notable progress is being
made on the southwestern edge OF the
salient, where the allies are advancing
on front Of more than fifteen miles
toward Fere-en-Tardenois. The left
wing Of this advance already has
| captured OuIchy-le!Chateau, the most
important 'defense Of Ferc-cn- arde-
nois from the west.
Additional progress Is being made
between Oulchy-le-chateau and Sois-
sons and southwest Of Rheims, astride
the Ardre valley.
The fighting is developing into one
Of the most Violent and sanguinary
battles Of the war. The Germans are
believed to have employed fully three
quarters of million men on this
front, including great numbers OF d.
visions that have been practically
wiped out and withdrawn. Their loss
es are variousiy estimated at 125.Ooo
to 200 900, including 25,oc0 prisoners.
! Between 400 and 500 cannon have
| been captured.
Picardy front: British troops re-
pulsed a heavy attack on their new
positions in the Heputerne sector,
north of Albert last night. German ar
tiIIery was active along the Somne.
Flanders front: A German attack
against British positions at Metern
was broken Up this morning, after
sharp fighting.
Russia: Czech forces, through the
capture Of Simbirsk, now control all
the vast territory east of the VoIga
river. in European Russia and consio
cradle ground west of the river.
How Long Can He Wait?
[By J. w. T. Mason, United Press
War Expert.l
| NEW YORK, July 26.-How long
Won Hindenburg can wait before or
| dering the withdrawal of the German
troops from the southern half OF the
| Aisne-Marne salient in time to es-
cape the closing of General Foch
trap is the dominant problem OF the
present fighting.
A REIMBURSEMENT of all this terri
tory would have so depressing an
| effect on German morale that thc
kaiser has unquestionably ordered
Won Hindenburg to hold on to the
very last AT no time since the hrst
battle of the Marne has the German
general staff been confronted with
as serious a condition as is ented
| bv the situation in the middle OF the
| Aisne-Marne pocket. If General Foch
can bring a sudden elmlng
| pressure to bear on the sides of this
area, twelve hours delay in getting
! away from the southern sector VIII
| result in disaster to the enemy.
The German capacity for large
scale maneuvering is being curtailed
| more and more every day by the per
! sistent advances of the allies. Yet
to the present, the Germans have had
enough space at their disposal for
the evacuation of the southern hall
of the salient. That they have not
taken advantage of this condition
! shows how necessary support TO the
| German morale is the retention of al
possible territory between the Alsne
and the Marne.
Except for the morale effect, the
soundest reasons of strategy dictate
a prudent retreat by the Germans, 3, az
| least as far as the Vesle river: Inc
salient itself is now a high danger
trap, from which an offensive TOWARD
Paris can scarcely be launched Inc
possibility of huge body OF German:
l lCe.+in,nd on maze 2N