Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 161, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 July 1918 — WAR SUMMARY. [ARTICLE]

WAR SUMMARY.

Although the Germans are still attacking the allied lines viciously on >oth sides of the Rheims salient, what gains they are making continue to be small ones on isolated sectors and seemingly are confined to the region along the Marne and immediately southwest of Rheims. Eastward from the Cathedral City through the Champagne the French report that they everywhere are holding the enemy and keeping their line intact, prodigious exependiture of shells by the Germans and the determination with which their troops are delivering their thrusts. Everywhere the battles are being stubbornly contested, and Where the French and Italians have been compell el to give ground it has been only after the infliction of extremely heavy casualties on the invaders. The Americans nowhere have been forced to withdraw. On the contrary near Fossoy near the bend of the Marne between Chateau Thierry and Dormans, they have made further improvements in their positions. Like their French comrades in arms, the Americans also have been engaged in violent fighting with the enemy. Daily it becomes increasingly apparent that the strategy of the German high command m the

present battle has foremost m its consideration the blotting out of Jhe Rheims salient and the straightening of the line eastward through Champagne toward Verdun. The hardest fighting of Tuesday was southwest of Rheims, where the enemy is endeavoring to break through the hill and forest region, reaflh the railroad running from Rheims to Epernay and force the evacuation of Rheims. In these endeavors the German war office asserts the Germans have driven back the allied troops on the mountain of Rheims between Mantenal and north of Pourcy, the last named place being a scant five miles distant from the Rheims-Epernay railroad. The French official communication admits that the Germans hold the line west of Manteuil-La-Fosse, about a mile and a half south of Pourcy and relatively five miles west of the railroad. It is reported that French reserves have entered the fighting line along the Marne and .that to the north of LaChapelle-Mont HodOn they have recaptured lost territory. The Germans also, as was expected, have brought up fresh forces m an endeavor to push forward their project in this region. There is a veritable deluge of shells from the guns of both sides along the entire Marne front On the British front in northern France and Flanders the Germans are keeping up violent bombardments on various sectors, using both gas and high explosive shells. Gas has been used extensively on the Villers-Bretonneux sector, where the British for several days past have been delivering successful patrol attacks and taking prisoners. The Albeit sector is coming in for an increased shower of shells of all kinds. Nowhere, however, has the German commland seen fit yet to start an infantry engagement, if one is contemplated. In Albania the French and Italian troops continue to make progress against the Austrians and in the Italian sector up in the mountains, repeated Austrian attacks have been repulsed by the Italians.