Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 122, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 May 1918 — WAR SUMMARY. [ARTICLE]

WAR SUMMARY.

The second battle of the Marne is “boiling up.** Its initial phase la already being fought along a ten mile front between the west of Fere-on-Tardenois and the east of Vesely, at a distance ranging from 6 to * miles north of the immortal river. There the Crown Prince's center is plunging southward to gain the Marne, the immediate goals being Dormans and Chateau-Thiorry, the latter a rail key to Paris, S 8 miles northeast of the French capital. From the Bedin war office came the announcement: “South of Fere-on-Tardenois we are fighting our way toward Marne.’’ The French official night communique admits the loss of both Fere-on-Tardenois and Vesely. Bnt every word from Paris and the front, official and unofficial, is calm and confident. For the allies it is an omen that has a heartening thrill, this dash of the German center toward the river that saw the greatest military machine of the ages once more go down in defeat. And still a greater thrill is the knowledge that the man who turned the tide in that famous battle is nov, the supreme commander of all allied forces in what may bo the ast round of Armageddon. Foch is a taciturn generalissimo. But behind the Marne, and on the allied left, below Soissons there is significant activity. Foch is getting lis reserves into line. The next forty-eight hours, unless, all .signs lie, may see the supreme clash of the war and of history. Meanwhile, Berlin is reveling in bombastic pronuncian*entos of the “victorioui progress” of the C’.xwn Prince’s lagons. Thirty-five thousand prisoners had been taken up to Wednesday night, the German war office announces. The booty in guns and material is described as “enormous.*’

Next to the Marne front, the sector facing Soissons from the Southwest is l-cund to become the most important in the next few days* fighting and to that front, it is believed, a great part of the French reserves is now under way. For a break through by the Germans between Soissons and Hartennes (to the south), where furious attemps were made vainly all day Thursday, would mean the swift spreading of the attack to the southern end of the Picardy ’ front. Ultimate junction of the Crown Prince’s Soissons army with the German army threatening Amiens from the southeast is clearly an essential part of Ludendorff’s program. Strengthening this theory is the fact that the Kaiser’s heir is employing the most celebrated of Prussian troops—Brandenburgers—on the Soissons front. The village of Cantigny, taken by the Americans, remains in our hands notwithstanding vigorous attemps at recapture. Six times the Gormans have undertaken counter assaults, the fifth endeavor being on a large scale. The attack was preceded by a -heavy bombardment, then the troops advanced with the rather feeble support of tanks. Counter artillery fire by the Americans broke up the movement and the infantry accounted for the rest. Additional prisoners have been taken in the village, bringing th etotal up to 242. All are Bavarians. Five American pursuit planes guarding a large number of British bombing planes returning from a raid into Germany fought seven successive battles, shooting down two German planes and forcing another to descend. One American was copelled to alight in No Man’s Land and was captured.