The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-04-16
BRITISH TIGHTEN
GRIP ON LENS
AND ST. QUENTIN
Continued Progress Reported
Today by Gen. Haig.
German Opposition Fiercest Yet
Encountered.
LARGE QUANTITIES OF BOOTY
Retreating Germans Left Mill
tary Supplies Behind.
Momentarily Expect Both
StrOnghOldS TO ran.
AUSTRIA PUTS OUT FEELER
Emperor Wants Russians as
Friends, Not Enemies.
No Advances, However, Toward
Other Allied Nations.
MOmentarily Expect Both
StrOnghOlds to Fall.
AUSTRIA PUTS OUT FEELER
Emperor Wants Russians as
Friends, Not Enemies.
No Advances, However, Toward
Other Allied Nations.
OBv the Associated Prcss.)

The fighting on the western front
has assumed almost the proportions OF
a general engagement along the whole
line from the North sea to the Swiss
border As yet the-infantry has not
been heavily engaged much to the
north of Loos, in the Lens region or
east of the scissors region, within
which confines the battle of Arras and
the struggle for st. Quentin are being
waged.
The artillery duel, however. is grow
ing in intensity in the region OF
Rheims, in the Champagne and down
the line TO Lorraine and Alsace. RAID
ing operations by the Frerch in these
sect orS also have assumed great I'M
po1tance and similar significant activ-
tiles are being displayed by the Rel
gians north of the present great bat
tie field.
In this connection the probability
of a northward push by the French
from the Rheims region to turn the
left flank of tho Hindenburg line as
the British have turned the right at
Vimy has come to the front while the
artillery battle has been raging.
Wreck Industrial Plants.
Desperate German resistance and
probable desire by British to squeeze
the Germans out of Lens rather than
drive them from this coal miEe and
factory town by direct bombardment
and frontal attack have delayed the
fall of the city.
Today's official statement from
London. however. shows the British
lines creeping steadily closer, notably
on the northwest. Within the town
the Germans are reported working
havoc in the destruction of industrial
plants and mines and feverishly re-
moving guns and stores.
The situation around St Quentin is
r. htIt ETl
and French statements reveal situa-
tion there which is making the towR
untenable for the Germans To the
forward. reporting today the capture
of several points of support near the
upper Coucy forest.
Push British Wedge Forward.
London, April 16.-In face of the
fiercest opposition yet rallied against
the British drive, Field Marshal
Haig's forces today battered their way
still further around Lens and pushed
another wedge to within a mile and a
half of the Cambrai-St Quentin line.
I'VE progressed to the northwest of
Lens" was the British commander-in-
chiefs laconic comment of that point
in the fighting where British forces
have straddled the famed Hindenburg
line.
"Our booty includes quantities of
trench mortars, bombs. grenades,
truck loads of new tools, many lengths
of tram lines with trucks complete
and two large engineer Dumps"
Haig's statement continued. More
than one third of our prisoners since
the ninth were Bavarians"
Capture VilIaret.
Haig also announced the capture
(Continued on Page TwoJ