Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 101, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 March 1918 — BELGIAN TROOPS ON FRONT LINE [ARTICLE]

BELGIAN TROOPS ON FRONT LINE

Aliitd Armies May Inaugurate Giant Offensive Moves. GERMAN DRIVE AWAITED Airmen Are Active and Many Enemy Planes Have Been Brought Down —Allies Fit for Giant Offensives. Paris, March. 18. —Attacks by German storm troops in the regions of Nieueport, Dlxmude and Merckeni gained a footing at some points, but all were expelled by counter attacks, says the Belgian official statement issued tonight. London, March 18.—British naval airplanes from Dunkirk destroyed dive German machines in the period from Thursday to Sunday, it was officially announced this afternoon. Five other machines were brought down and two enemy observers were killed. All the British machines returned safely.

As the allied world has, day after day, read the official reports from the allied and Teuton war offices In the hope that some Inkling of the real situation would present itself, the realization has come home that the American, French, British, Belgian and Portuguese troops are maintaining their control over the front running from the North sea to Switzerland. Artillery fire, at some points growing in intensity, Is reported but the allies have held their own and their raiding parties are everywhere busy in the enemy’s trenches. The long-expected apd confidently awaited German drive has not materialized and the allies threaten to start an offensive of their own at various points against the Teutonic legions. There is hardly a sector on the western battle line which Is not being marked by spirited actions, but Verdun and the Vosges regions are apparently storm where big events may develop. At Verdun the opposition artilleries have been thundering for several days and on Monday the chorus of the guns was kept up, especially on the right bank of the Meuse. In the Vosges mountains the artillery (fighting is reported to be very heavy, although no infantry actions have been mentioned In the war office statements issued at Paris and Berlin. One of the most encouraging features of the war news may be found in the fact that the Belgian army, reorganized and ready for battle, has taken over the Important coast sector in Flanders. This part of the western front has heretofore been held by the French, although British troops have made their appearance there at various periods. That the Belgian army, which is said to be excellent in

morale, has freed the French and British forces for action elsewhere on the front demonstrates that the past winter has been one of constructive work on tht part of the Belgian and allied army staffs. The latest official report Said that attacks by German shock troops have been repulsed by the French. Heavy guns are battering the American sectors along the front and many shells of large calibre have fallen. Here, ‘however, the American guns have replied with good effect and the excellent weather of the past few days has given American airmen an opportunity to take pictures of the terrain hack of the German trenches. Apparatus installed preparatory to another gas raid on the Americans has been destroyed by the American artillery fire while American raiding parties, following out their traditional Indian fighting tactics, have kept absolute oonrtol of the territory between the hostile lines.

in spite of the fact that the allRussian congress of soviets has ratified the treaty of peace (forced by the Germans at BresULitovsk, the advance of the Teutons, especially in southern Russia, continues. In southern Ukraione the capture of the important city of Nikoloiev, where vast stores of grain were reported to ihave been piled up, has been officially announced by the Germans, who have also followed up their aggressive tactics in the provinces of Tohernigov and Orel, in the southern central regions of Russia.

Action by Japan in Siberia is still held in abeyance and theie is no indication of what may be done there. Reports from Siberia continue to be grave. Liberated German prisoners of war are said to be cooperating with the Bolshevik leaders and on March 1 participated in at battle with the forces led by General Seminoff, the non-Bolshevik leader. On the Italian front thtre have been raiding operations from the mountains to the sea and attempts by the Austrians to cross the river Piave have been frustrated. On the Italian front there have armies have been very active during the past few days and as might be expected there have been quite heavy losses. British naval airmen alone have disposed of ten enemy machines in the period from Thursday to Sunday. Italians brought down five enemy machines on Sunday. On Saturday the French accounted for seven, while four other German airplanes not previously reported were destroyed last week. The Germans claim to have shot, down twenty-two allied machines on Sunday.