Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1916-06-03
FRENCH HOLD ON
TO D0UAUMONT
Germans Use the Big Guns and
Infantry in Effort to Regain
Lost Position.
AUSTRIAN DRIVE IS CHECKED
Italians Succeed in Making a Stand
on Main Line of Defense
49,. Bulgars captured.S

London May 24-The Germans
have replied to the terrific French Of
fensive in the Douaumont region with
assault after assault and the deadly
combat northeast and northwest of
Verdun is still in progress. Heavy
masses of German troops have been
thrown against the picked French
troops whose successful attacks won
for them the greater portion of Fort
Douaumont and considerable ground
of high strategic value adjacent to the
fort.
These newly captured positions the
French have tenaciously held. Partic-
ular mention is made by the French
war office of the maintenance of the
position in Fort Douaumont conquered
by the French on Monday. Fighting at
this point is characterized by Paris, as
"a murderous struggle" Each attack
was preceded by powerful artillery
preparations.
Germans Gain.
Although they were hard held to
the northeast, the Germans would not
be denied at LIE Mort Homme and,
after being moved down by the French
artillery and machine guns with san
culinary losses in several attacks, they
finally gained a footing in trenches to
the west of this much coveted posi-
ton. Their tenure of the trenches
was short-lived, however, for the
French in counter-attack Immediate
ly drove them out.
Italy's first anniversary of her en-
trance into the war found her forced
back by the great Austrian offensive,
and a general retirement to their main
lines of defense in the region south Of
Bevereto and Sugana, southeast of
Trent.
Italians Fall Back.
Rome admits that between Astico
and Brenta rivers, and in the Sugana
valley, the Italians have fallen back
on their main line of defense.
The retirements were carried out
in perfect order after the Italians had
repulsed Austrian attacks against the
advanced line. Vienna says that in
the retreat from Borgo, the Italians
were forced across the border by the
AustrianS. That the AustrianS have
advanced as far as the head of Lake
Grada and the Sarca region is indicat-
ed by the Rome official communica-
ton which says that Austrian troop
assemblages have been observed in
the Riva zone.
While along the Russian front the
usual bombardments have continued
almost exclusively in the Pripet river
region, the Russians in an infantry at
tack drove the Germans across the
Voselhu river and destroyed their
trenches
Big Austrian Drive.
Rome, May 23.-ItaIy's great hour
has struck, is the theme of the com
ment of the public and the press on
| the news that is being received from
the front. All the reports coming
| from the fighting zone agree that the
number of Austrian troops now in ac-
ton has been more than doubled and
that the Austrian artillery, especially
heavy, long range guns, is daily in
creasing and unmasking the imposing
offensive prepared by Austria with the
object of reaching the Alps above vi
cenza, from which the Austrians would
| be able to dominate the entire Vene
| tan region and threaten the flank and
rear of the main Italian army occupy
| ing the provinces of Udine and Bel
| luno.
Austrian artillery of all sizes and al
ranges with the monster 305-milli
meter gun predominating has trans
formed the battle front between the
| Adige and Brenta rivers into an in
| ferno.
The Italian troops have now formed
their lines of defense and are holding
| firmly all the passes and peaks from
which Italian officers say the forward
movement of the Austrians has mo-
only been successfully arrested, bu
the Austrians have been dislodgeC
| from several strategic positions take1
in the first rush of the offensive.
| There are several indications tt
confirm the statement that the desigI
of the present strenuous campaign o
the Austrians on the Trentino from
is to prevent Italy from participatin,
with her troops in the struggle on tn,
French front and also to paraIyze an,
action aiming at the joining of the Av
Iona and Salonik forces for a stimuli
-aneous effort
Pensions Are Growing Less.
Washington, May 22.-Pensions viii