THE BEST NEWS SO FAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 219, 4 June 1918, Page 5

THE BEST NEWS SO FAR

REIMS SAFE, AND THE MARNE BLOCKED

"SUNDAY WAS A GOOD DAY"

(Rec. June t, 1.10 a.m.) London, Juno 3. Mr. G. 11. Perris, writing in the "Daily Telegraph," states that tho French are standing with splendid resolution along the Savieres Stream, which marks the border of the Forest of Villers Cotterets. An attempt to push westward along the north bank of the Marne may be expected. Von Boehin Krmolli's troops on Friday afternoon opened a umv pocket beyond Oiilchy to a depth of five miles along the Ourcq Valley. Tins salient was extended on Saturday, and. the main lino of pressure was thus changed from Eouth to south-west,'the acutest stress of battle being represented by two bulges -first, between the Oiso and the Aisne, directed towards Compeigne, and the second between tho Aisno and t.ho Manic, pointing towards tho Ourcq in the direction of La Ferte Milon. There were violent struggles ou Sunday on both sectors, with a notable increase in tho power of the French resistance. The German assaults north of the Aisno were nearly everywhere l"'oken. Their slight advantage on Ihe Ouicq cost the Germans tho heaviest losses. French military experts are of opinion that Sunday has beer, a good day. The French reserves are rising like a sea-wall against tho German wave. We have re-established tho situation at Tleims, and forbid the _ passage of the Marne. We have stayed the Cleremn advance in tho direction of the Oir.e. The only German success is the taking of Favorolles. Elsewhere on the Oise sector the Germans have exhausted thcmeelves in furious efforts. It must not be forgotten that the Germans thus far have only engaged fifty divisions, and have still more reserves. , Until the enemy plays his decisive card Foch will not show his hand. Other Opinions. A message from Rotterdam savs that it is believed in Gorman-Dutch circles that Von Lmlemlorff's idea is to halt on tho Marne and try to carry out a concentric movement directly westward from the Marne and southwards from Noyon over tho Carlepont IMatcau. General Ardeiine, writing in Ihe "Berliner Tageblatt," fiays that the plan of the battle follows tho theory of disintegration, which is comparable with tho method used in firing at apparently impenetrable armour plate. Many hits closo to each other gradually weaken th o power of resistance uulil the plate falls to pieces.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.