The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1917-04-20
GENERAL HAIC BEGINS
THRUST ON CAMBRIA
TITANTIc CLASH Between AL
LIES AND GERMANS
Battle Along Western Front Is Contest
Between Groups Of Franco-EngIish
Strategists That Is Directing the
Offensive and the Cunning of Hind
enberg; Fight Opened With Most
Tremendous Bombardment ~
UNITED Press Dispalch.l

United Press Dispatch.1
/ With the British Armies On the
French Front, April 1S.-Capture by
the British in France of $4,000 Ger
man prisoners since April 9 and 227
German guns was officially an
nounced today. The British for
ward sweep continues. The grip of
General Haig around Lens and st.
Quentin is Tightening, though the
Germans are fighting desperately.
German prisoners show plainly that
the German soldiers have lost their
courage to withstand the terrible
hail of the British artillery fire.
Haig Begins New Thrust
UNITED Press Dispatch.l
London, Eng, April 1S.-General
Haig has begun a new thrust to-
wards Cambria. The capture of the
village of Villarez- Guislain, nine
miles south of Cambria, was an
nOunced today. The British are re-
ported also to have been improving
their positions around Lagnicourt.
BY the capture of Villarez- Guislain
and Epehy, the British have ap-
preached within two miles of the
line stretching from Cambria to st.
Quentin, a distance of twenty-five
miles. The British now parallel
this line for the distance of fifteen
miles.
It's Titanic Clash
limited Press DIspatchl
hn Y,nh A n l.
Western Front, April 1S.-The til
tanic clash between the allies and
the Germans on the western front is
a contest between the group of
Franco British strategists, that is
directing offensive, and the linden
| burg strategy. The fight has opened
with the most tremendous lombard
ment that has been known since the
war began. German prisoners that
have been captured testify to the
frightful execution Of this lombard
ment, that by saying that on the
average, of each company of 225
men subjected to this fire, only
eighty have escaped alive The
tremendous offensive of the allies
has opened one huge battle reach :
ing about 100 miles, all the way
from DiXmude to Rheims.
Waucourt Tower Retaken.
UNITED Press Dispatch.1
Paris, France, April 18.-Wau-
court Tower, on which the Germans
recently gained a foothold in one OF
their violent counter-attacks, has
, bee1 retaken from them by the
French. 1t is noted that the firing oil
the Germans is becoming wild and
irregular. Their craftsmanship is
growing poor with the discourage
ment of continual defeats.
French Keep On Advancing.
UNITED Press Dispatch.l
London, Eng. April 1S.-Latest re-
vanced to within two miles of Laon
The British continue to push forward
upon Cambria, while they are tight
ening their hold on st. Quentin and
Lens. Fighting is bitter along the
whole of the vast front. Artillery OF
the allies is pulverizing the German
defenses. The French are active in
/ the Champagne region. This is not
believed to be just where General Nj
velle won his recent successes. The
| French have taken the town of Chivy
| which is only two miles from Laon
| 1t is believed that Laon must soon
| fall, while Lens and st. Quentin car
| readily be seized by the British al
any time General Haig considers op-
perfume. His principal attention just
now, however, is directed to the prof.
| ect of battering the way to Cambria
Latest French Victory.
ASSOCIATED Press Dispatch.l
Paris, April 1S.-The latest French
victory. while on smaller scale
| than Mondays, is equally an i'm
portant success. Both sections at
tackled had been left alone hitherto
because of the exceptionally natural
strength of the German positions
The French command held that the
assault could be successfully under
taken only when overwhelming re-
sources had been accumulated and
situation was favorable. The attack
| had been planned for several weeks
The official statement says that
| important progress was made on the
attack east of scissors and Chavonne
| end Chivy were captured. Three
desperate German counter attacks
/ in the Champagne were checked with
! Continued on Page Two.