Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 April 1917 — BIG ALLIED DRIVE CONTINUES [ARTICLE]

BIG ALLIED DRIVE CONTINUES

French and British Forces Take Important Positions. London, April 23.—Again the British have begun a period of intensive fighting from the region of Lens southward to the Havrhicourt wood and, according to the London war office, have been successful at various points in capturing important German positions. In addition, more than 1,200 Germans were made prisoner In the first day’s fighting in the new offensive. Both north and . south of tho Scarpe river the. British have materially advanced at several points toward Douai. North of the river the village of Gavrelle and positions two and a half miles long south of*the village were captured, while south of the stream they took the. line of the Germans on a wide front south and east of Monchy-Le-Preux and captured the village. Farther to the south the entire village of Trescault andi the greater part of the Havrincourt wood now

is in the "hands of General Haig’s forces. On the northern end of the battle line additional progress has been made southwest of Lens, seemingly placing that important town in great danger. j, Northeast of Soissons, between Aisne and the Chemin-das-* lathes, the French have further advanced their line, but elsewhere on the front held by the French ari tillery duels have predominated. 1 Sunday night the Germans tried, but without success, to penetrate French positions, notably east of Craonna in the Champagne, near St. Mihiel and in the Vosgos mountains. A return of good weather to the western front has brought about renewed aerial activity and numerous battles in the air. A British airship is. believed to have been destroyed over the Straits of Dover by a hostile airplane, with the loss of its entire crew. I Sunday, French airmen in aerial ' engagements shot down six enemy 1 airplanes. A similar number fell prey to British aviators, while fifi teen others were driven down out of control. Anti-aircraft guns disposed of another German airplane and seven kite balloons. Germany has just gone thtoughthe most disastrous week for her in the history of the war. Today; the French army staff says the coming seven days are likely to disclose the nature of the FrancoBritish offensive. The fighting tn progress is of tremendous import-' ance. ■ \ General Neville’s forces have accomplished the taking of 20,000 .German prisoners, capture of more than 100 guns from the Germans, the retaking of twenty square miles ! of territory and inflicted losses in ! killed and wounded and missing on of the Germans estimated at 100,000. I Two great battles were raging today. One is along “the ladies' road’’ dominating Laon, the other around Moronvilliers heights dominating the northern Champagne plain. Although the French attacks are against the two strongest positions on the entire front Nivelle’s men have won footholds. The fighting today supercedes in importance any fighting on the entire western front.

Copenhagen, April 23, via London^—An American, who has just arrived here from Hamburg, says that Hamburg last week was affected by the same strike movement as Berlin. A big demonstration led to* lavish promises by the authorities and even to the suspension of the card system for the day during which it was possible to buy bread and, as far as available, potatoes. Now it is almost impossible, according to this American, to obtain these necessaries even on cards. This American saw Albert Baltin, director-general of the Ham--burg-American Steamship company, who has close relations with the German authorities, and confirms the report that Herr Baltin entertains an optimistic view of the possibility of an early peace.