Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-07-05
Battles BREWING
ON WEST front
Even Germans Are Expectant
of Great British "Push."
Aeros FeverishIy Active.
HAIG SCORES NEW GAIN

with Russia proving that her army.
now rehabilitated, can strike telling
blows again, the entente forces ap-
parently are preparing to resume the
forward movement on the western
front.
Notable activity is developing in Bel
GUM. Germany senses the trend OF
things there, without question. and ex-
traordinary efforts by her airmen to
find out what is going on behind the
British lines are reflected in the official
statements.
From all appearances the German
don's report last night for instance.
showed nine German airplanes put out
of action to one lost by the British.
British Push Ahead.
That the British blow will fall north
Of Arras Is the German expectation. ac-
cording to Gen. Won Stein, tho Prussian
minister Of war. He told German
reichstag committee yesterday that
Cen Haig apparently was preparing
for an offensive on a large scale in this
area. In this connection it is to be
noted that the British, in a local oper-
alton last night, pushed their lines for
ward slightly on a 600-yard front
southwest of Hollebeke, in Belgium.
Gen. Petain. on the French front. Is
bending his efforts toward retaining in
tact all the commanding positions his
troops now occupy. The latest German
attempt to wrest control of an fmpor-
tant sector on the Aisne from him not
only came to naught. with exception
ally heavy German losses, but the
French in their reaction took a salient
neary Cerny from the Germans.
London Official Report.
By she Associated Press.
LONDON, July 5.-The Official an
nouncement Of today follows:
Southwest of Hollebeke we advanced
our lines slightly on a front of so
yards. Last night we carried out sue
cessful raids In the vicinity of Wfeltj
and Nieuport. and captured several
prisoners"
The oflcial statement from British
headquarters in France last night
reads:
"Early this morning the enemy raided
one Of our posts south of Lens. One
Of our men is missing. AS result OF
another raid the enemy attempted east
of Loos four wounded prisoners were
left in our hands.
THE enemy artillery was active to-
day north OF the Scarpe and in thS
neighborhood Of Ypres and Messines.
The enemy aerial activity continues
In the air fighting three enemy ma.
chimes were driven to the ground and
control. Another was shot down by
our anti-aircraft guns One Of our air
planes failed to return"
German Morale Weaker.
CANADIAN HEADQUARTERS IN
FRANCE, July 5.-As q result of our
recent advances. and despite the Ger
man counter strokes, no mans land
now is almost a thousand yards nearer
the center of Lens than 1t was a week
ago.
Deterioration in the morale of he
clashes with the enemy, Is becoming
more and more widespread. It is not a
decrease of German efficiency SO much
as a tremendous increase in the allies
use Of artillery, aircraft and gas, that
has achieved the result in the field OF
operations.
Heavy Artillery Fighting.
PARIS. July 5.-Today's official state
ment reports heavy artillery fighting
near Moronvilliers in the Champagne
and Hill 304 on the Verdum front.
The ofdctal communication ISSUED by
the war Office last night. reads:
1.-The enemy violently bombarded our
lines today. particularly in the region
of Pantheon, La Royere. In the neigh
borhood of Hurtebise and on the Vau-
clero plateau.
'It is confirmed that the German at
tacks last night, which developed along
a front of about seventeen kilometers,
cost the enemy exceptionally heavy
losses without bringing him either gain
Of ground or prisoners. Everywhere
else we have completely maintained
our positions.
French Capture Salient.
"The Germans have not renewed
their attempts, but on the contrary we
have carried out east Of Cerny, a de-
tailed operation which enabled us to
capture a strong salient held by the en-
envy. On the left bank of the Meuse
three successive attacks, accompanied
by jets Of liquid flame. directed against
our trenches southwest of Hill 304, were
repulsed. The artillery fighting con,
tinues very spirited in this region.
Belgian communication: There was
slight activity on the part of the enemy
artillery in the sector Of Steenstraete-
Het Sas. In the region of Pypegaale
intense artillery duel occurred. Last
evening an enemy airplane was brought
down in an aerial combat by one Of