Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-07-21
PRESS COMMENTS.
BIG WAR ANNIVERSARIES.
On July I0 two wears ago 'oThe Record

On July 10 two years ago "rhe Record
said
'Thc news that came yesterday has
the appearance of being the most M
portant and the most encouraging TINT
has come from Europe since the French
and British started the Somme campaign
on July /, 1916. 1t looks hopefully as 4
the great turning movement OF tho Aii'ed
army had begun"
This hope was realized. II was the be-
ginning of the great Allied offensive
which never ceased till the Germans
signed the armistice. And on Sunday, the
second anniversary of that forward move
ment, tho French government COM
memorated the heroic and victorious nd-
vance of our troops and its own by be-
slowing upon the town Of Chateat-
Thierry the Legion of Honor and the
Croix de Guerre.
Just three weeks later the British, furth-
or north took the offensive on August y
and broke the German lines SO thoroughly
that L,Idendorff describes it AS the 'black
day of the German army But three days
before the American and French troops
took the offensive, which was never inter-
r,lptcd, the American troops stopped the
German crossing Of tho Marine and at the
railroad embankment south OF that stream
ended the last of the German drives
toward Paris,
1t was on that occasion that the Ameri-
can troops, driven back by the German
rush, regained their lost ground by
magnificent counter-ofiensive against tbe
advice of the French commander under
whom our men were fighting. 10 the
French generals advice to our men to
A. .I.xl. of nltf n
erals sent this importal message
1--WE regret being unable on this oc-
easion to follow the counsels Of our mas
tcrs. the French, but the American flag
has been forced To retire This IL unen-
durable. and none of our soldiers would
understand their not being asked TO do
whatever is necessary to repair situation
which is humiliating 10 us, and unac-
ceptable To our country's honor. we are
going to counter attack.
They did, and they recovered the
ground they had been obliged to yield.
This message has been attributed To
General Bundy, of the Second DIVISION,
and also to General Bullard. But IT IS
likely to have been sent by General Dick
man. commander Of the Third, or Marnc
division. That division bad been rushed
10 the Msrne without it's artillery, which
followed as soon as it could, to stay the
German rush TO Paris. which was pouring
forward over the broken and exhausted
French ranks. Colonel Ulysses q. Nc
Alexander, with the Thirty-ciEhth In
fantrv. was stationed on the railroad en-
bankInent south Of the Marine with orders
to stop the German crossing at all costs.
And they did it. The cost was heavy
Many of the Germans got across. and at
the point on the railroad embvnkment
where they centred their attack, three
platoons of the Thirty-eighth were sue
ceSsively wiped out But the fourth held.
The Germans got no further. Our ar
tillery riddled their boats, and thousands
of the Germans were drowned or swan
ashore. The effort TO cross ended, and the
Germans who were on the south side of
the river got baok-if they could. lhe
greater part perished in the river or
under the American guns. --Phiiadel-
Ihia Record.