The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-05-23
SUCCESSFUL ATTACKS
BY FRENCHMEN
(Continued from page -

Continued from page -
the western front, is to be only on'
part of a great unit of American an
lighters now forming, according y
iplans which became known today.
The new army group will INCLUDE
mot only the Lafayette squadron pul
a number of other American aviators
who are now graduating from various
French air fighting schools. Inc
present members of the LaF'ayeue es
scadrille insist that they retain thelr
present French fighting machines ano
their present French officers as squad
ron commanders.
] The Lafayette flyers are preparlns
to distribute a ton of printed pampn-
lets of President Wilson's speeches
and proclamauons over the German
lines.
| At the Lafayette headquarters to-
| day the Americans were inspected ps
Major Mitchell, U. S. a.
Monitors on RIVER.
Thy Henry Wood, United Press stan
correspondent
THE CHAMPAGNE, May 23.-Steei
THE CAMPAGNE, May 23.-Steei
clad canal and river monitors are Ell
fectively aiding the French advance
in the Mount Cornillet sector. me
little vessels have participated In the
bombardment with as much success
as they did in the battle OF the SOM
me last fall.
In the. section where they are used,
the monitors can disappear INTO
built along the side OF
the waterways they utilize, thus CIV
ing them advantage OF yeritapie RIVER
submarines.
PRESUMABLY these monitors are
being used on the river SWppei
Continuous Thunder.
TBy Henry Wood, United Press SIdii
Correspondent
WITH THE FRENCH ARMIES Al
THE CHAMPAGNE FRONT, May %
General Nivelle's new offensive De
gun Sunday and thunderously con-
tinuing, forestalled gigantic yer
man counter offensive.
Prisoners from German lines re
yealed the enemy plans today. Theie
explanations threw light on the
mendous power behind recent Ger
man counter attacks as well as the
great forces which the French were
compelled to eject in their victorious
advance.
The conquest by the French OF the
northern slopes OF the MoronVillieres
crest between Mounts Cornillet and
the Casaue ended ali hopes OF the
Germans for an offensive in this sec
tor. Such an attack had been plan
ned for Tuesday morning with me
object of regaining the top OF this
crest Great forces Of German re-
serves were massed in expectation
for this advance The Germans
brought I'D new guns and great
stores of ammunition. Then-so the
prisoners said-the French struck
sudden, unexpected blow, took the
northern slopes in front of the cresr
and forced the Germans still further
back
The fury OF the French attack was
sufficient to hurl back all these con-
centrated German forces, but their
very concentration assisted the en-
envy to strike back in violent counter
thrusts.
For two days now these great
counter attacks have been Waglns
back and forth. At some places they
have forced slight giving OF ground. !
But today the French retained all
their important gains and were heSe
and there still forging ahead.
Early today all the remaining por-
tons OF Cornillet were consolidated
including an immense tunnel which
the Germans had laboriously dug out
under the mount
German soldiers captured by the
Marshal Won Hindenburg personally |
visited the Cornillet front recently !
and supervised ali arrangements for /
abortive offensive.
This tunnel under Mount Conflict |
gave the French some troublesome |
days OF fighting. The Germans hid |
their reserves in il and from its |
depths they frequently poured these /
forces out just at the moment that |
the French succeeded in overcoming I
the German lines This sudden re-
Of the enemy would /
push the French back. The original !
French assault on the mount made I
May was thus thrown back at the
Of victory
In the tunnel as il was captured to-
day, the French found an entire Ger
man battalion, including a staff
major.
Will Welcome Pershina's Men.
LBy William Philip Simms, United |,
Press Staff Correspondent
WITH THE BRITISH ARMIES IN /
THE FIELD, May 23.-The tommies
got word today that General Perish |
ing's seasoned veterans were soon 10
be fighting with them.
well, the kaiser's got another
surprise coming TO him.
one mud-coyered lombard
Ter from the front trench, as he roll
ed back of the lines for rest. He
probably didn't figure on how quickly
the United States could put forces
sol