The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1916-04-01
GERMANS KEEP UP
VERDUN ATTACKS
Violent Artillery Actions Pre-
pairing Way for Fresh As
saults by Infantry.
SLAY OFFENSIVE CONTINUES
Critics Declare Nearly all Attacks on
the East Front are Successful
Take Three Trenches.

London, March 24-Except on the
front near GOmmecourt and the Beth
une-LaBasse Road, where the British
gained some advantages in fights
against the Germans, no infantry en-
gagements have taken place along the
line in France and Belgium
The Germans northwest of Verdun
are continuing their violent Smelling
of the Malancourt sector and again
have trained their guns on tae French
fort of Bethincourt, lie Mort Homme
and Cummieres,- probably preparatory
10 fresh infantry attacks in an en-
deavor to break through the line when
the moment seems propitious.
The French have not sIackened
their bombardment of the Malancourt
Wood from the positions in the Ar
gonne forest, and also are Smelling
heavily German positions and the
roads and railways held by the Ger
mans in the eastern part of the Ar
come. The bombardment to the
northeast of Verdun, as well as in the
Woevre region, to the east of the for
tress, has increased in intensity.
Russians Gaining.
While admitting that it is not yet
clear whether the fighting which is
in progress south of Dvinsk signifies
general advance of the Russian
troops in that sector or whether it is
intended as a demonstration to attract
German forces from the Franco-Ger-
man front, the military critics lay en-
phasis on what they allude to as the
universal success of the attacks of the
sufficient to have made an impress
ion on the German general staff.
Front Extends 800 Miles.
The Russians are operating in three
groups, covering a front of three hun
dred miles, but the severest fighting is
reported to have occurred near Lake
Narcoz, where the Russian drive car
ried them through three lines of Ger
man trenches heavily protected by
wire entanglements. The Russians
resorted to their favorite method
bayonet fighting routing the Ger
mans in spite of desperate resistance
and capturing one thousand men and
| seventeen officers, a dozen machine
guns and other booty.
Russian Drive Gaining.
London, March 23.-The Russian Of
fensive against the Germans in North
west Russia has increased in inten-
sity, and fighting is in progress day
and night. The latest official state
ment from Russian general headquar-
| tiers says that desperate infantry
fighting is proceeding north of the
| town of Postavy, where the Germans
launched violent counter attacks in
/ -
from trenches which they had cap
tured previously. Respecting this op-
Grafton the Berlin communication
saws that at this point the Russians
delivered their attack and their losses
reached extraordinarily high figures
even for the number of Russians in
action.
The Russians captured three lines
of the German trenches on the south
western shore of Lake NaTOcz, where
it is officially declared, the fighting is
developing in favor of the Russian
forces. Here the Russians, despite
"asphyxiating gases and murderous
fire. forced three lines of wire en-
tanglements and made their gains IL
a series of fierce hand-to-hand en-
counters.
The Russian war office also official
" announces the capture of IspahaI
in Persia.
In France infantry attacks north
west of Verdun, preceded by a vigOr
Gus bombardment, have enable the
Germans to gain a foothold on the
small hill of Haucourt, which lies jus
outside the village of MalancOurt anC
between that town and the eastern
edge of the Malancourt wood
The entire sector Of about two and
a half miles from the AYecouFt Woo
to Malancourt has been subjected to ;
{ violent artillery bOmbardment ant
l several German infantry attacks, bu
: except in the immediate vicinity o
/ ! Malancourt the Germans were held b!
? the French barrier fire and were un
: able to advance.
Northeast of Verdun, around Douau
mont and Vaux, an intense artilleT-
bombardment is still in progress. Tn
infantry forces, however, have re
!, NAMED inactive in this district
). Bad weather again has broken owe
2 the Austro-ItaIian front, but it has no
r put a stop to the violent lombard
ments.