The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-05-12
Germans Make Use Of Hand
Grenades, Liquid Fire, Gas
Bombs and Guns of
ALI Sizes.
IN GIGANTIC EFFORT
Assaults at Fresnoy and BuIIecourt IN
Attempt to stop British Ad.
vance, Arc Most
Violent.

UNITED Press Leased Wire Service.
LONDON, May 12.-Crown Prince
Rupprecht was today trying with al
most every sort OF weapon known tt
military science OF this or former
days to. dislodge the British grip or
German positions around Fresnoy AM
Bullecourt. Front dispatches told o,
hand grenades. trench mortars, liquiC
IGreek) nre, boiling oil, nauseatine
gasses, bayonets, big guns, little guns
machine guns. rifle flre-all concen
trated In fury of attack.
All opportunity for concerted mnss
attack has passed at these points, &C,
cording to descriptions of the dead
lock received here. The struggle hae
developed into hand to hand bits Of
| fighting while behind the roar or guns
on both sides, pelting the lines oppo
site with vast quantities Of shells.
| 1t Is not only at Fresnoy and Bulle
court that the Germans were striving
today to stop all movement of the
British. Official reports detailed
massed offensive assaults at Arleux
anc other points around Lens. The
British grip on the coal city has been
increasingly strong Of late and Hin
denburg with every reserve force at
his command is endeavoring-vainly
SO far and with extraordinary losses
| to weaken the British troops about
the town.
! front today showed a desperation in
the fighting there incident to the al
lied advance that is equalling any
thing that is seen on the western
front. Isespite terraine highly unfa-
vorable to attacking forces General
Serrail's allied army has been jammed
forward with considerable gains all
along the attacking front. The fight
ing is over rocky promotories, up and
down valleys and around Jagged noun
tains-conditions favoring the de-
tenders in every way.
Presumably Serials resumption OF
the offensive, after months Of inaction.
is designed to force strengthening OF
the Teutonic lines and use up still
more Of the central powers reserves.
A menace such as Serial has directed
against this Bulgar-Turkish-Aus
line must be met by reserves-and
Germany and her allies are fast run
ming out of reserves.
Exactly the same strategy may be
behind a sudden increase in the f1gh--
ing on the Italian front. fighting 50
strong in some sections as to lend
color to the belief here that Italy is
attempting a general offensive
French Official Report.
PARIS. May 12.-Fighting all the
way from south of Laon down to
Alsace-L Lorraine was detailed in to-
days French official statement. Gains
were achieved by General Nivelle's
forces in penetrating the German
lines north Of Bezonvaux, as well as
at several points in the Ammert-
zwiller sector of Alsace, the war
Office said.
Around Chemin Des Danes, the
artillery combat showed slight
slackening, the statement said. The
French blew up munitions depot in
this section.
At Juvincourt there was patrol
fighting. In the regions south of
Pargny and in the Champagne, west
Of the Cornillet woods, the same
style of fighting prevailed.
Around Verdun there was an artil-
1ery battle in the region of Avo-
court. but without infantry actions.
French detachments penetrated
the German lines north of Bezon-
vaux," the statement concluded, tas
well as at several points in Alsace,
in the sector of Ammertzwiller, i'm
prisoning many
Hundreds Of Prisoners.
LONDON, May Hundreds OF
prisoners" were taken by British
forces in further advances today
around Bullecourt on the Arras-C Cam
brai road and north Of the. Scarpe
river. Field Marshal Haig reported
"At night and early this morning."
Continued on paga %