Evening star., 1917-09-24
.LULL IN BATTLES
ON WESTERN LINE
Big Guns Keep Up Constant
Activity, But Infantry
Gets a Rest.
GERMANS FAIL TO RECoUP
By the Associated Prsss.

By the Associated Prsss,
LONDON, September A.-German
heavy guns were active early this morn.
ing on both banks Of the River Scarpe
on the Arras front In France, Field Mar.
shal Haig reported today. A German
raiding party near La BASKERVILLE was
driven away after a sharp fight last
night with the British.
British troops. after repu1sing a Ger
In Flanders, early yesterday. attacked
in turn and captured additional de-
fenses from the Germans as well as a
number of prisoners An Official re-
port from British headquarters in
France adds that on the rest Of the
Ypres fighting area the British are
consolidating their new positions. So
far in the recent operations there the
British have captured s,343 prisoners.
French in Artillery Duel.
PARIS. September 24-North Of ver-
dun and in the region Of Fosses and
Chaumes woods the artillery duel was
intensely violent last night, the French
war office announced this afternoon.
German airplanes bombarded the camp
OF German prisoners near Bar-le-Duo
and two prisoners were killed.
Reports Repulse Of British.
BERLIN. September %. via London.
September 24.-Strong British local
attacks southeast Of st. Julien, in the
Ypres region. last evening. were re-
pulsed by the Germans according to
the official report from general head
quarters today. In hand-to-hand
engagement British troops who pene-
trated a German trench near Monchy,
southeast of Arras were driven out
again.
A British monitor bombarded Ostend,
Belgium, Saturday. the statement adds,
and shells struck the cathedral in
which mass was being said. Seven
Belgians were killed and twenty-four
Fourteen entente airplanes and one
captive balloon are reported to have
been destroyed Saturday.
British Hold Fast to Gains.
BRITISH FRONT IN FRANCE AND
BELGIUM, September 23.-That phase of
the battle of Flanders that occurred last
lied as the Battle Of Menin Road. was
today largely a matter Of history. Hard
local fighting was still in progress at a
point west Of Cheluvelt. known as Tower
Hamlets, but notwithstanding the deter
mined efforts OF the Germans to regain
the ground they lost here they were un-
able to dislodge the British troops. who
had battled their way forward SO gall
lantly over the marshy, wooded ground
west OF that place. The enemy still clung
to few desirable posts on an elevation
near Tower Hamlets. but their possession
in no way affected the general situation
as they were not vital points. Else
where along the front OF tho British Of
situation. An intense artillery duel con-
tinued. but the enemy had abandoned. at
least temporarily. those futile and costly
attacks which marked the first
days fighting.
The German military code in the past
has taken little count of losses in
men. II results could be achieved. In
the present instance the German coun-
ter attacks have not only been costly.
but useless. for the British artillery
vancing columns to bits and driven
the survivors back in hasty retreat.
How great the German losses have
been. 1t is. of course, impossible to
estimate, but 1t can be stated def
nitely that they were exceedingly Sc
we're.
Food Supplies Cut on.
Prisoners say that their casualties
during the last few days OF the British
bombardment prior to the attack were
very heavy. and especially on the night
of September IS. During that night
ration parties were SO badly smashed
that they were unable to reach the
front line troops with food.
The battle of Menin road has fur
nished further evidence of that de-
terioration in the fighting qualities
which has been going on in the Ger
man lines for some time. 1t must not
be assumed from this statement that
the Germans are in a demoralized state.
During the last few days they have
fought with great determination and
but they are not SO good as
they were.
1t is significant. perhaps. that the
counter attacks delivered by the enemy
on the first day were lacking the In
tensity Of previous counter attacks. al
though the Germans had known that
the offensive was pending and had had
time to prepare for eventualities.
In this conclusion a change has been
noted in the attitude Of captured Cor
man officers. Apparently they no
longer have faith in the future and
have abandoned hope of success in
the western theater. The thing they
are most interested in now Is peace.
British Morale Is High.
On the other hand. the morale of the