Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 192, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 August 1918 — FRIDAY’S WAR SUMMARY [ARTICLE]

FRIDAY’S WAR SUMMARY

“The situation is unchanged.” The old war office term often used when there is little or no fighting in progress best describes in just four words the battle situation in France. It is true that the German* are retiring before the merciless pressure of Marshal Foch on the seventy-five-mile front between the Ancre and the Aisne; Albert has fallen to the British, who have over-ridden the Arras railroad; the French have practically encircled Noyon, have taken tirteen towns in the last twenty-four hours and have thrust a deep wedge between the armies of Gen. von Boehm and those formerly commanded by the distinguished Crown Prince, now enjoying a vacation long overdue,. and that Haig’s men again have advanced in Flanders, yet “the situation is* unchanged,” for everywhere the allied advance ' continues as though by a well-arranged time table. The high lights in the day’s news are the capture of Albert by the British and the French advance between the Oise and the Aisne, which already has been pushed over the Ailette. This advance puts the whole German line from Belgium to beyond Rheims in danger and is expected to result in a hurried retreat of the enemy from the Vesle line. The allies are capturing great numbers of Germans and vast quantities of war supplies as they advance. The British officially report the capture of 5,000 Germans in two days. It is unofficially estimated in Paris that the total bag of German prisoners since July 18 exceeds 100,000. And losses of both the French and British are astonishingly small in comparison to the results accomplished. Tanks and cavalry continue to play a big part in the drive, spreading increasing confusion in the ranks of the retiring Germans.