The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-05-30
(By Associated Press.l

General Foch's reserves have begun
to come into action in the field
against the powerful German thrust
southwark from the Aisne and the en-
emy is finding his progress increasing
ly difficult in consequence.
Standing Firm
Again the allied flanks are standing
firm and while Soissong has been lost
on the west, Rheims is still holding
out on the easterly edge of the battle
front
The chief progress Of the Germans
revealed in today's official report was
in the center of their advance where
some three miles of additional ground
has been covered.
The blunt edge of the German
wedge is shown to run here from
Ferre-Tardeno, which is about 101a
miles directly east to VeZilly, 15h
miles southwest of Rheims.
Along this line the Germans are
about 18 miles south OF the Chemin-
des-dames, giving them a penetration
| of approximately that distance at the
beginning of their offensive.
Allied Flank Steady.
The steadiness of the allied flank
under the heavy German pressure is
one Of the outstanding indications in
the Paris official report. The Ger
mans, for instance made attempt after
attempt to debouch from scissors after
gaining that town but the determined
French In the outskirts prevented the
enemy from achieving this object.
To the southeast the French re-
serves are coming into play and here
the allies are resisting the enemy in
engagements of extreme violence along
the road to Scissors to Hartennes-et-
Taux seven and one-half miles south
east of Scissors.
On the Flanders front the Germans
| made local attack on a British posi-
| ton northwest of Festhubert, in the
| Givenchy sector, which met with a
complete repulse. The British improv-
ed their lines by an advance of some
| 200 yards in the Morris sector, to the
northwest.
Soissons Has Fallen.
Sweeping onward in dense masses,
the Germans have advanced fifteen
miles In the centre of the line between
Scissors and Rheims. On the allied
left Soissons has fallen, while Rheims,
on the right, is In grave danger, the
Franco-British troops having retired
to less than two miles of the famous
city.
Desperate as has been the resist.
ance of the French and British, espe-
cially the French on the left. and the
heavy losses suffered by the enemy,
the German advance has not been
halted greatly. Unofficial reports of
the allied reserves being hurried up
are not confirmed officially and there
is no sign of their presence in the
line. Despite their forced retirement,
the allied troops have held together
remarkably well, while contesting
every foot of the way
scissors fell to the Germans after
fierce fight in the streets Of the city
for several hours and the French were
last reported holding tentciously to
the western suburbs. The enemy ad-
vance to scissors has not yet affected
greatly the French line eastward from
Montdidier which the Germans appar-
emily hope to bend back by their sue
cess on the Aisne. The curve in the
battle line northwest of Rheims has
been wiped out and from Scissors
eastward the line runs southeast and
then east into the Champagne.
Berlin Claims 25,0oo.
In the center or the 40 mile front
where the German progress has been
greatest, the enemy forces are row
nearing Loupeigne, four miles north
of the river Ourcq and IL miles north
of the Marne. The fighting is most
entirely untouched by the war since
1914. Berlin, in its latest report, claims
the number of prisoners has increased
to $4,000.
Apparently the Germans have used
a large part of their reserves in the
offensive across the Aisne, as they
have not taken advantage Of the move
ment here to strike elsewhere on the
northern front, as might have been ex-
pected. The course of the fighting
Wednesday indicates the possibility
that the German crown prince will try
to strike westward along the Aisne,
instead OF attempting to force his way
nearer the MaFne.
Except for some sharp fighting at
Cantigny where the Americans have
repulsed the German counter-attacks
against their new positions, there has
been little fighting on the line north
from scissors. A local German at
fock a inst tho EropnI uorth - 49,