Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 May 1918 — BRITISH AND FRENCH LINES ARE HOLDING [ARTICLE]

BRITISH AND FRENCH LINES ARE HOLDING

Foe Battling Desperately to Bain Roined City of Ypres. QUIET IN AMERICAN ZONE Haig Reports Efforts of Germans Have Been Fruitless Besides Suffering Heavy Casualties——Enemy Makes Small Gain Near Kemuiel Hill. . Germany’s armies are hurling themselves against a granite wall on three sides of the ruined city of Ypres. After fighting of the most terrific nature, the British and French lines are still intact and the enemy has lost terribly in his repeated assaults against the lines where the allies stand at bay. The objective of the fighting that now is going on is the capture of Ypres, where since 1914 the British have held their positions. Two years ago the allied lines were carried forward and the salient in front of the city was wiped out, but from these positions the British retired a week ago to the trenches where they stood during the terrific fighting in the spring of 1915, when they stopped the Germans in their first drive for the channel ports. o The present battle opened with a bombardment of the British and French lines from Meteren to Voormezeele, a distance of twelve miles. Then came reports of a spread of the fighting around the curve in the line in front of Ypres, until the Belgian armies, north of the city, were involved. Field Marshal Haig’s official report, anxiously awaited, brought the news that the utmost efforts of the Germans had been fruitless all along the line. The field marshal’s statement said that the Teutons • had, paid a great price and had gained virtually nothing. The battle still continues along the front, Put there is little indication .that an immediate withdrawal from Ypres is contemplated by the allies, at least not until they have exacted from the enemy a great sacrifice of human lives.