The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-05-09
Hindenburg's Great Effort
to Save Coal Fields Pro
badly Futile.
ENTIRE LINE IN
FRANCE IMPERILLED
Violence og German Assaults
Proof of Battles I'M
portance.

i II ~
Field Marshal Won linden
burg's tremendous drive of yes
terday in an effort to stem the
tide of British victory on the Ar
ras front, speedily spent its force,
and all its lavish expenditure Of
men and material bids fair to be
wasted.
Already the British have re-
acted so thoroughly that most of
the ground lost yesterday in the
vicinity of Fresnoy has been re-
gained. The Germans are still
clinging to the village but their
hold on it is so insecure that its
capture seems imminent. 1t is a
vital necessity for the Germans to
hold here if they are not speedily
to lose Lens and its valuable coal
fields and find their whole line on
the northern French battlefront
imperilled.
Equally necessary it is for them
to hold the French around the
great bend in the line northeast
Of Scissors where the German
stronghold of Laon, considered
by some military critics the key
to the entire German position in
northern France, is the French
objective. The persistence and
violence of the German counter
attacks along the Chemin-des-
Danes plateau the commanding
ridge won by the French in last
weeks great drive, indicates the
Importance the German high COM
mand attaches to the lost ground.
General Nivelle's troops are yield
ing no inch of it, however, and
gradually are forging ahead in inn
portant sectors.
Last night an attack by the French
gave them a line OF trenches three
fourths of a mile long on the impor-
tant high ground above Craonne
northeast of Chevreaux, where they
are opening up the back road to Laon.
The Germans have been claiming the
reports today indicate that IL the
French are not actually in possession
of it they at least have 1t well hemmed
in.
The German counter attacks last
night were particularly heavy and
costly and at no point were they sue
cessfuI Paris announces.
The capture of Fresnoy marks the
first sign in the present offensive
that the German counter attack has
succeeded in wrestling an important
position from the British. Curiously
enough the Berlin statement which
announced the capture of F'resnoy In
dicated that the British are much
closer to the southern end of the Droi-
court Queant line than has been
claimed by London. The German war
Office tells of heavy fighting between
Reincourt and Fondaine. the former
village being a bare mile and q haA
from Queant and less than that dis
tance from Cagnicourt, the next Ger
man stronghold north of Queant.
Everything indicates that the pres
emit struggle on the British front Is
regarded on both sides as one OF the
most important actions Of the war but
it NAV be many days before any de-
cision Is reached. The determination
with which the Germans are hghting
and their strenuous efforts at concen-
tration show that the Droicourt que
ant line is regarded by them as OF
vital Importance and will be surren-
dered only in the last extremity.
French Take Trenches.
Paris. May 9.-The French last night
captured first line German trenches
over a front of three-fourths OF a
mile north of Cherux near Craonne'
the war Office announces. During the
attacks in force against the
position taken from them on the pia-
teau of Chemin des Danes and on the
California plateau. Although the Ger
mans were stopped by French artil-
lery and machine gun fire new assault.
ing waves resumed the effort severaI
times until the ground was streWn
with German dead.
Predicts German Victory.
Amsterdam. via London, May B.
Field Marshal Won Hindenhurg
again predicting victory, according 20
ire Berlin Tageblatt. The paper
quotes the field marshal as saying In
reply to an address from the saxon
Second Chamber:
"The soldier spirit which is always
cultivated by the all highest war lord
has again proved its strength. II the
home army also holds on then we are
certain of victory
Regain Lost Ground.
British headquarters in France. via
london. May ga Staff Correspond
ant OF the Associated Press) Most of
lie ground lost by the British i'm the
vicinity of Fresnoy has been regalned.
rhe Germans are barely holding Fres-
10Y village ITSELF
Defeat in Macedonia.
Berlin, via London, May 9.-German
Ind Bulgarian troops have adminis-
.ered a severe defeat on the entente
,orces in Macedonia. an official an-
stated today.
German View Of Fresnoy.
Berlin, via London, May 9.-Fresnoy
IN the Arras battle front has been held
" the Germans against fresh attacks
" the British. An additional 100 pris-
,ners have been captured says today's
.rmy headquarters statement.
Russians Heard From
Petrograd. via London, May e.--Rus-
.ian troops on the RlImanian front
,orth OF Eenne yesterday broke
through the Teuton positions and ad-
ranced toward Jenawer, says the OF
iciai statement issued today by the
Russia war department