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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (July 18, 1918)
WEATI1EI? Mainiiinnii Yesterday, 9(5; Minimum Today, 57. FORECAST Tonight and Tomorrow: Showers and Cooler rriaD"mLwm EAT CORN Medford Mail Tribune SAVE "WHEAT rarty-alfhth Tear. Dally Thirteenth ' MEDFORD, OREGON, THURSDAY, JULY. IS, 1918 NO. 99 ETOFCHE AMERICANS yO"0Ei TH IN FIRST GREAT OFFENSIVE OF THE ALLIED HOPS SlOiMMT Mm Mij mm POiLUS AND VMS HIT HUNS 3?"S FRENCH GAIN U.S.PLANSTO STRATEBVTO AGGRESSIVE ALONG MILE FRONT EXTENDING fibgji EVERYWHERE IH AID SIBERIA CHECK HUNS fIRSI TIME LUIinl IUL AivmL mi iul iwinumL! ii v uuu l u u n u m m m mBHB me i J u III I II Hit) II 111 M L lllnllllL c . - nil II IUUL UIWIL Gains of From 2 to 4 Miles Registered By Noon Thousands of Prisoners and Many Guns Captured All Objectives Passed and Victorious Troops Pressing On Soissons Now Under American Guns Hun Rail roads Threatened anl Great German Offensive Definitely Halted Huns Theatened With Being Fo reel to Retreat or Being Cut Off. WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN FftANCE. Julv IS. S D. m. (By the Associated Press). The entire offen sive operation 'begun this morning on the front between the Alsne and the Marne Is going at this hour for the most part even better than had been expected. The enemy so far has been unable to withstand the shocks the Americans and their allies have delivered and are still de livering. As the whole German left flunk is menaced the enemy must draw in his troops from-the Marnd front or risk 1 their being caught where they are. This means that the finishing blow possibly has been administered to his dying offensive. Huns Taken by Siirpriso WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN FRANCE, July IS. (By the Associ ated Press). American troops went over the top with a cheer this morn ing in the launching of the allied sur prise attack on the front northwest of Chateau Thierry. The enemy was tuken completely by surprise all along the line. The American trogps were brought up In the night together with French comrades from crack units and lay in thoir positions until five o'clock this morning. At that hour the American and French artillery opened fire. The Americans advanced behind the 'barrage of their first objectives In less than half an hour. While they were digging in more Americans, in most cases, passed over the first ob jectives and then advanced behind the resumed barrage to the second objectives which were speedily taken, especially at the north end of the nt tuek opposite the Parls-SolsBons road. Numerous tanks participated in the offensive. Without Artillery Alii The American Infantry went Into attack without previous artillery pre paration. In their advance behind the rolling barrage they captured many guns, machine guns, prisoners, equipment and material. The Germans In most places of fered feeble resistance but hero and there they put up a stubborn fight which the American shock units quickly overcome'at the point of the PARIS, July IS. (Havas Agency) In the pocket which the Germans created south of the Marne their losses reached the figure of 6H,floo In the first two days fighting, the Matin declares today. According to the Echo He Paris forty German divisions have been fully engaged, while twenty support divisions were obliged to take more or less part In the fighting. Premier Clemenceau returned to day from a visit to the front, express ing himself very well satisfied with the situation. HUN LOSSES IN -2 DAYS 60,000 'bayonets and at the muzzles of their weapons. The town of Soissons Js now well within the range of the American guns. The townB of Tory and GIvry and the GIvry wood were taken by the Americans in their advance. The final objectives In the GIvry and Torcy sectors were reached In abtat two hours of hard fighting. The troops on this part of the front did equally as well as those on !the front further north, taking quan i titles of material and prisoners, who continue streaming back. Trops Hu-sli Oil Hastily organized counter attacks ! ngulnst the Americans developed hero and there by all were broken up and our troops continue to advance. In one town, on the southern part of the front, the Franco-American forces captured eighteen guns. Probably the most stubborn resis tance to the allied advance developed in the region west of Cauliun, which ls i'A miles southwest of Soissons. Tho Americans and French fighting ' side by side, however, refused to be chocked. The Amerlcnn machine , guns mowed the enemy down and ! then our troops went on. The fighting still continued In this . region this afternoon and seems i likely to become heavier, when the j German reserves arrive. I in Sf.issoiw H.urloli In the region of Soissons where;'1'''? 14 " "le evening 16 tho on the attack was especially successful ""' made determined but unsiiceess tho Americans carried everything be- fl" attacks on our positions near fore them by storm. Early this ' Val,x- Oaring the night .Inly 1 4 to afternoon they had passed their final 15 llB delivered a heavy bombard known oblectlve. From tho second "ent which Included the use of much to the (bird objectives they swept be- hind a third barrage. "The second objectives were quick ly tuken by the troops of the first units who had dug In at the first ob jectives. The resistance to tho south wes especially violent. At some sections the American advancing troops were held up but only temporarily. E ENEMY BACK AT E - land several large hostile groups at ON THE FRENCH FRONT IN tempted lo advance. This attempt FRANCE, Wednesday, July 17. (By a,0 collapsed. Our Infantry fire anil the Associated I'rcssl. While enemy ja creeping barrage from our batteries and allied armies generally were a)!aln broke up the assuult ." marking time, the Italians this even- . ing carried out a brilliant counter- attacK near rourcy, norm ui Marne. They drove the enemy back Into the valley of the Orde river. .null! nf thA river Marne saw many small local; actions. Most of these minor opera tions brought about violent encoun ters between small detachments. Often both sides had prepared for an attack at the same time, conse quently the men met at full tilt mid way beteen the lines. Numerous hand to hand encounters resulted. PiCRetfONDS missvJ HbHMHJ .j J ! M WASHINGTON, .Inly IX. Qenoral tflMMJEflff I 5V fwf ft voTu..Y . CHATEAU s JU MixiAirV UTS?' . Pershing's communique for yesterday move made luls 'ear uv tl,e alllea eports that In the American sector 1 Tn8 French move this morning up- reports that In the American sector on '"0 Marne ,he enem' 1,118 been entirely driven from the south bank The dispatch follows: "Headquarters American Expedi tionary Forces, July 17. "Section A. In the Murnc sector our troops have entirely regained possession of the south 'bank on the river. Northwest of Chateau Thierry the enemy yesterday repeated his at- '"Ps t the preceding day to pene- trale our lines near Vuux. Ills attuck was completely broken up by our In fantry and artillery flro before reach ing our lines. "Yesterday In the region of Thlau court, a hostile airplane was shot down by one of our aviators." Attack n Failure "Section II. Northwest of Cha -iouu i merry neiwuen mo evening 01 a8 ""' whl1 developed Into a bar- rage on the Vllllx area. Under rover of this a storming parly attacked the vlllaue. The svsiem of i-rihrniinn hv groups was used and some of Diose groups passed one of our advanced iol""os'8 northeast of Vaux uur iroops delivered withering machine gun fire on (he assailants and counter attacked. At the same time our artillery dropped a barrage to cut off the enemy's retreat. The enemy fled but many were caught by our barrage and eighteen taken pris oner. ' "The nttack was a complete fail ure, the enemy at no time penetrat ing our lines. Hoy lliirrago Falls "On the evening of July 15 the nl- I tacks In this region were renewed. A box barrage was placed by the enemy. GERMANS TRICKED BY CORN RAISED IN POLAND STOCKHOLM, July 18.-Warsaw '. ..' ' " tin1 Germans arc 'loulilin their rcqiiisitoiis of fnnd- stulf- in Poland becniie of tlieir fail ure to obtain L'rain in rkrainia. I tiordcr lo deceive the German ien. elp and encourage Die belief tlmi totes of rkrainian grain are not fables, the 111111- are packing corn and fodder eHirld from Polainl in sacks marked "('krnrrio," Foch Has Been Massing Men In For est Area for Days "Dress Show" With Every Available Weapon In 1 Play Ends Germans' Efforts at Rheims Railways Under Guns. LONDON, July IS. The French have gulned from two to four miles everywhere on the 25 mile front 'Of their offensive today 'between the Alsne and the Marne, according to reports reaching London this after noon. The French have captured several thousand prisoners and about twenty guns. '..-..' Koports received In London show ed the situutlon iii to noon all along tho lino of the attack bosun by the French this morning to be excellent. IHKKtwt Allied Drive The attack Is lty.f;igRst offenslvo peared to have been a surprise to the Gormnns. The manner in which this surprise was accomplished may best'udds, were different tliun those made be Judged from the map which shows a greut nrca of forest covering the ground behind the French lines. Un der cover of lliose forests General Foch bus been preparing for Bomo time tor tho present move. AH the wuy from llelleau to Alsne the French nttack was launched at intervention in Siberia. No ollicii'l daybreak today. It was what tho ' confirmation is available. British call "dress show," with every There is j:reul aclivily in Japanese development uvulluble weapon In J official circles ami Die newspapers play. j devote columns In the subject ufin "This is Die moment Foch has j terventimi. They also say Dial Kin been looking for." said a military I"'1'"1' Vosliilo lias, postponed his v:i authority hero toduy, "and if all goes cut inn "" occoiuit of important de well his splendidly executed counter- v'l"pments. attack should bring the whole Cur- Iman orfnnslvn on Ihn lllielm. ,.,lr to u halt immediately." Monaco Hun Itallromls The French huve reached a point menacing the most important Ger man railway centers which feed the entire front west of Ithelms. The French artillery Is now within easy shelling distance of these railways 1 al"' sllo"l(1 ,l,n a''le n,"lie llr" '18 I nrHlll for l"rao section of the Ger- man army. Military men attach great Impor tance to the lateral railway lines around Soissons and say that If Gen eral Foch can get his artillery Into position to keep theso lines out o( action ho will make the movement of the Germun supplies In the whole sector between Ithelms and Chutc.iu Thierry impossible. On the extreme east of the recent German offensive tho French huve reoccuplcd their old lines for a dls tunce of three or four miles. North of the Marne tho Fronch have regained the whole of the Itols wood and tho village of Venteull, AMSTERDAM. July IS. Emper or William watched the opening of Die latest German offensive from an advanced observation post northwest of Khclms, his favorite correspondent Karl Ropner, reports In a dispatch to the Berlin Kokal Anzelger. "The emperor," says the corres pondent, "listened to the terrible or chestra of our surprise fire attack and looked upon the unparalleled picture of Die projectiles raging to ward the enemy positions." Japanese Troops to Join American Forces In Intervention In Russia, According to Announcement In To kio Newspapers American Pro posal Differed From Those Marie ' By France and England. Time Not' Ripe for Announcement. TOKIO, July 18. (Ity the Asso ciated Press.) Japanese newspa pers today publish the terms of un American proposal to send American troops to Siberia, (he newspapers de clare that (lie Jupnnesu government lias decided to accept llic sticsiinn made by the American government Unit Japan also send troops. l.OXIION'i July 18. The Jnpanuse jiovcrninenl lias reached a decision which was tiie outcome of proposals from Ihc I'niled Slates, .ays ti di pnlcli from Tokio to the Times 1,'idcr dule ol' Julv l.'t. for ioint Alucricun- ' Japanese intervention in Siberia. The - American proposals, the dispute!! by (Ireat lirilnin and Franco. (front Activity Shown TOKIO, July 1-1.--(lly the Ass' culled Press.) Japanese ncw-pn- pers insist t tin t Die I'nilcil States lias made proposal lo Japan concerniiiu 10MO, Jlllv 1.). (liv llle Asso I . , , , , , ,. , , , h iiiled Press.) lie elder slulesiuen net loilov mill heard Hie oovern inent's report eiuiei-rninj; Die dis inteliiiiM (if troops to Siberia. While formal deeiion lias not I n reaclicu il is siiiil that the elder -.tn teamen are fully supporting Die lite eminent. Il is Keneiallv fell Dial Japan will resent niiy form of limitation itneeil on her movement of troops. Washington Silent WASHINGTON', July IM. eull covenniielil officials di - Ameri . lined io comment in any wuy upon t' e report from Tokio that Japan lias uc 'cptcd a proposal of Die t'uiteil Stales that American and Japanese troops he sent into Silieria. It is known Dial important ilexclopnienls in Die Sibe rian Mtunlion arc iiupendiu': but of ficials indicated tluit Die tune was not ripe for an nniiouiieeuicnt. LONUON, July Ik. South of VII-lers-llictnnneiix, south of the Somme the British line has been advanced on a front of mure Diiin one mile, says the official statement today ( from their headquarters In France. The British positions to the cast of llelititorno also were improved some what. South of Bucqnoy on tho front I southeast of Arras, a German raiding! purty was given off. Tho German urlillery showed con-! slderable activity during Die night I on the Flanders front north of liail luiil. I Foch Strikes to Counter German Blow Further South French Stopped Germans In Face of Vio lent Attacks Launchel Between the Marne and Rheims Huce Sal ient South of Aisne Entongtred By Allies' Success. PARIS, July J8. The French this morning delivered an uttack along the line from tho river Aisne as fur south as the region of Baslleuul, a aggressive on an Important scale, at front of about 25 miles, and mudo I tacking this morning on a 25 mile progress at certain points of between ' front between tho Alsne and tho a mile and a half and two miles, the Jlurne the westerly side of the Qer- war office announced toduy. The situutlon on tho Marne and Champagne fronts is unckunged. ' Early In the morning . prisoners taken In the advunce began coining in. The northern point of the front of attuck Is the town of Fualenoy, near- ly a mile south of the river Aisne. In the fighting on the front of the Gorman offensive the French lust , night stopped the Germans In the face of violent attacks which thc-on- emy launched southwest of Nnnteull- La-Fosse, between the .Maine and Ithelms. On the front beyond Itholnis, oast of the Vesle river an attack by (icr- man guard nulls was completely pulsed. Slrulcgle .Move This morning's attuck represents what apparently is an Important strategic move by General Koch to counter Ibo Gorman blow further south ulong tho Murnu and on the lino to RhuluiK. The sector lu which the attack was launched Includes part of the front belli by Americans. Tho American line extended cast of llullcuii wood I ' uAtti.ii,-,! cum ui iiciieau wood ,, on norlhwul!twa,.(1 ut ,cuat us us Ton y, probably some I wo or three miles within Hie area mentioned, Tho French-American stroke seems (o have made Important Initial progress and Is endangering the en tire huge salient created south of tho Alsne. It Is along the lino now under nt tack that the notable series of opera tions which linmedinlely preceded the start of tho present Germun of fensive was carried out by the French and Americans. Front n lyogicul One Marked gulns wore mudo by the French day by day In the region southwest of Soissons and further south along the front cluing the for est of V'lllers-Cotterets. The Amer icans for their part took possession of tho entire llelleau woods, captured the village of Vuux, close to Chateau Thierry, and advanced their linos to positions where their guns com manded Die villages of llouresches, llelleau and Torcy, along the Cllgnon river. This front has been pointed lo as Die logical one for un offensive slroko by General Foch, as lis success would pinch off Die enllio .Marno salient and If carried thru rapidly would In evitably result In Hie rapture of large number of the enemy and quantities j of his guns and material. ! It cannot be told as yet whether sucli a broad objective lias been de termined upon by Die generalissimo. NASH ASSISTANT TO AIRCRAFT CHIEF RYAN WASHINGTON, J,,v is. Join, II. It vim. director c nil of air-rnll production, has .elected C. W. Nash, of Keiio-lia, Wis., lo lie his u-sisiant in pioiliieliou anil enuineeriii". YEAR Allied Blow Lengthens Battle Line to 105 Miles, Widest Front Yet En gaged Germans Make No Head way In Marne-Rheims-Champaigne Offensive, Heavy Attacks Being Crushed and Will Now Have to Abandon Efforts. . ,. BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, July 18. General Foch, the allied commander In chief, lias taken the I mans' Mama salient. From various sources come reports that the battle is progressing favor ably to the allied forces, which pre ! sumably Include Aiuericun troops, I Few details of the battle are avull- able, tho main facts officially stated bolng that at various points along this front progress of from two to 'ollr miles has been uiude and that j prisoners have been taken.. I J.lko Letter V i The buttlo Hue when the German offensive paused at the Marne early ''"no closuly resembled the letter V with (ho aculo angle blunted. ! filnc0 1,lelr attack on Monday morns .ln 1,10 Germans huve made progress re-j"'1'0'1 has changed the form of the I lino to thut of the letter U the right leg of which is shorter than the left. From Fontenoy at the tip of the loft leg to Rheims, on tho end of the right Is about 117 miles. The dlstunce from Die Aisne to tiio present battle front south of the Marne Is about 25 miles. It is along the left leg of the U ! tllttt 11,8 alllo,l onslaught began this morning. Behind the ullled lines Is tho forest of Villers-Cotlorets, with a i - network of strategic wagon roada anil three railway lines. In front of them there is an Important railroad lino running southward from Sols- ao"s 10 t'h"teau Thierry, presumably used as a supply artery for a large proportion of tho enemy troops along (ho Muriio river. Tibs railway waa about four miles from tho allied front when tho attack was startuit today. 10.1 .Mile Battle Lino Measuring from the Alsne, around the Chateau Thierry salient and. thence to MussignB In the Champagno the eastern limits of the present struggle, the length of the battle line Is about 105 miles, which fs tho wid est front that has been In active bat tle on the western front since the early days of the war. Official reports show that the Ger man stroko against the Marno-Rheiius-Cliumpagno lino hud not gained further ground overnight. At (Continued on Page Six.) BECKER STEEL SEIZED BY U.S.A WASHINGTON. July 18. Taking over by the government of tho Gcrnian-ownod Becker Steel Com pany of America, with a plunt at Charleston, W. Vn., was announced today by A. Mitchell Palmor, alien i property custodian. With the com- puny comes to Amorlcan manufac turer a secret process for the pro j durtlon of "high speed" steel, here- toforn held exclusively by the Germans.