Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-04-14
SCORE FOUR MILE GAIN.
British Continue Successful Assault on
Hindsnbur0 Limo.

British Continue Successful Assault on
Hindsnburs Line.
Correspondent Associated Press.1
s British Headquarters in France, via
London, April 14-The British last
night broke the German front for a
distance Of four miles. The Germans
are in retreat.
The gaps in the German trenches
were made In three places. Positions
on front OF three miles between the
Double Crassier and Givenchy and an
other mile on the northern flank Of
the Htndenburg trench system were
captured.
Advance points were pushed near't6
Prouville, an important point in the
German defenses.
The Germans are fighting as they
retire from Loos southwark and are
being hard pressed.
Fires and explosions to the rear Of
the German 1ines continue.
DSj., q karfaaoss Jaaessllsd,
Il u sifho1e dlR tEulty that one
comes to 8 realization, that serlf-open
warfare has replaced the old deep
trench ffShting on the greater part OF
the British front. It is difficult even
for the fighting men to actually grasp
the situation. The Germans possibly
feel the change more than any one else
for above all things they love their
Underground comforts.
The Germans were first to transfer
their fighting to bitches.
The deep concerted dugouts and tun-
nels along the old front were the only
protection the Germans had against the
ever increasing gun fire and every
time they get an opportunity to pause
now they Immediately begin to dig
themselves in. They take to cover as
II by second nature. The British have
always contended that the German
dugouts softened the men who congre-
gated in them and they would only be
kept In the open fghting with diff
Guilty.
Open field tactics have been a part
Of the training Of thF new British army
ever since its orgdnlzation began in
1914. There has been some criticism
Of that system from time to time on
the ground that the war would always
be fought from trench to trench but the
last few months the British army has
been trained in open field fighting al
most daily. The result Of this training
has been apparent the past few days.
outwit Crack German Regiment.
The correspondent saw q bit Of field
maneuvering two days ago in which
the British troops completely outwit-
ted part Of one OF Germany,s crack
regiments. It Is a rather, striking COM
mentary that when the war began the
officer in command OF the British unit
was young solicitor without military
training. Two years in the war, has
worked wonders.
A gratifying feature Of the fighting
has been the speed with which the
British troops have everywhere obtains
ed their objective. Driving the Ger
mans from positions which they have
held for two years has given the army
a higher fighting spirit than 1t ever
had before.
No Longer Hindenburs Line.
The turning OF the top Of the Him
denburg lire, attention to which is call
ed in the communicates, has been an
achievement OF which the full import
ance naturally has not yet been de-
,veloped. The Germans no longer call
this line after Hindenburg, but know
it as the Siesfried line. The switch to-
that line from Queant, north, which
prisoners say, is not yet finished and
was not expected to be used except as
a last resort, is known as the Wotan.
In the extreme south the Hindenburg
line is known as the Albrecht line. The