The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-04-14
SLAV and BRITISH
FORM A JUNCTION
Patrols of The Two Big Armies
Are Now in Touch in
MesOp0tamia.
BLOODY BATTLE NEAR RHEIMS
Germans Attack French With Picked
Men-officiaf Statements as to
Result Are Conflicting.

London, April 6.-British and Rus
sian patrols have got into touch with
each other in Mesopotamia, the Asso-
ciated Press was informed today by
Major General F. B. Maurice, chief di-
rector of military operations at the
war office.
Washington, April 6.-The Germans
and French have met in a san
culinary engagement northwest Of
Rheims, according to advices from the
front, where the Germans with picked
forces attacked on a front of about
mile and a half, between Sapigneul
and the Godat farm. The exact result
of the battle is beclouded by conflict
ing statements from the Berlin and
French war offices.
Statements Conflict.
The Paris war office admits the Ger
mans occupied portions of the French
first line trenches, but says the attack
failed completely over the greater part
of the front; that the French troops
reoccupied the captured positions and
that counter attacks are in progress.
A Berlin official communication re-
ceived by way of London says the
Germans inflicted a sanguinary re-
verse On General NivelIe's troops in
this region and that 800 men were
made prisoner.
On the battle front in the region of
st. Juentine there have been only ar
tilIery dueIs between the French and
German forces. On their part of the
line the British have captured the vii
lagos of Basse-Boulogne and Ronssoys
northeast of Peronne. Here the Ger
mans suffered heavy casualties by be-
ing caught in their own wire entangle-
ments and raked by the fire of the
British machine guns. Additional
gains for the British east and north
east of Metz-en-Couture also are
chronicled by the British war office.
Probably the most momentous oper-
alton has been that, of the Russians
who, driving from Persia, have cap
tured the Mesopotamian frontier
towns of Khanrichirin and joined
hands with the advance forces of the
British coming up from Bagdad. The
Turks, however, are making a stand
against the Russians in this region to
prevent them from crossing the Diala
river northwest of Khapikan.
On the eastern front, according to
Petrograd, the Russians have reached
the right bank of the middle Stokhod
river, on the left bank of which the
Germans defeated them on Wednes-
day.
French Make Notable Gain.
Washington, April 5.-Along a six
mile front southeast and south of st.
| Quentin the French have made an
| other notable gain over the Germans,
while northwest of the town the Brit
ish have captured the village of Metz
| en-Couture, and thereby gained an adj
ditiona1 step in their plan to push for
ward on the northern flank of st.
Quentin, according to the latest dis
patches from the battle fronts.
The French gain was a dominating
position running from Grugies, about
two miles south of st. Quentin.
through UrVillers to Moy, which lies
in the valley of the Disc, six miles
southeast of st. Quentin. The fight
ing took place during violent snow
squalls, and General NeviIIe's men
were successful along the entire line
All three villages were taken by the
French troops, and in addition they
captured three lines of trenches nea1
the Folie farm, in the same sector
from which the Germans are declared
to have fled in disorder, leaving be
hind wounded, three howitzers and
much other war material.
After the capture of Metz-en-Cou
ture the British pressed on to the cas-
Of the village. Here, the last officia
reports says, they are still engaged
with the Germans, and also in thu
neighborhood of Havrin Court wood
By the capture of this wood the Brit
ish would be dangerously near Mar
Going, the junction of the roads run
ming from Peronne and Bapaume t
Cambria. To the west of st. Quentin
German counter attacks against tn,
British in an endeavor to recaptur,
six guns taken Monday, failed, &C
cording to London.
The Berlin war office asserts tina
northeast of Bapaume and west of 81
Quentin heavy casualties have beel
inflicted on the British, and that nea
NoreuiI $40 British prisoners wer
killed by their own machine gunner
as they we're being taken back by tn
Germans.