The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1917-08-03
KAISER CALLS !
WAR CHIEFS TO
BIG CONFERENCE
Crown Princes and Hindenburg
to Meet the Emperor at
Brussels.
BRITISH WIN BACK GROUND
Hard Counter Assault Is Launched by
General HaiQ Near the Roulers-
Ypres RallWay-Americans
Play Important Part.

flAy important FdTt.
British Front in France and Bel
gium, Aug. 3.-America played a small
but important part in the battle OF
Flanders. Several American surgical
teams" which were brought to the
front from the base hospital by the di-
rector general of the medical service,
worked side by side with their British
allies in caring for the wounded.
U. S. Officers See Battle.
Paris, Aug. 3.-A large group OF
American staff officers is expected to
return to the American headquarters
from the Flanders 'front.' where for
some time the army officers had been
watching operations In all the depart
ments preparatory to the Franco-Brit-
fish offensive.
Amsterdam, Aug. 3.-Emperor Will
liam has called war council Of the
high military and naval leaders In Ger
many to meet at Brussels, Belgium.
Field Marshal Won Hindenburg, chief
OF the imperial general staff; General
Ludendorff, the Quartermaster general
the German crown prince, commander
Of the German forces in the Cham
pagne; Grown Prince Ruprecht Of Ba-
var1a, In command Of the Belgian
front; Grand Duke Albrecht of Wuert-
tenberg and Vice Admiral Eduard Won
Capelle, minister of the imperial navy,
and others will be present.
lin view OF the announcement 1t
seems not improbable that the German
force Of the Flanders drive of the al
lies and is considering what further
measures can be taken to meet it'll
German Attacks Fail.
Paris, Aug. Bad weather contin-
ues In Belgium, says the official state
ment issued by the French war de-
partment The Germans made two at
tacks east and southeast Of Reims,
but both failed. On the left bank Of
the Meuse there was q violent arul-
lery engagement. The Germans at
night attacked In the sector Of Avo-
eral attacks In Apremont forest, south
west of ST. Mihiel, utterly failed.
Win Back Ground in Belgium.
London, Aug 3.-British forces
launched a counter attack against the
German positions In Flanders. Gen.
Sir Douglas Haig reports that the
British troops completely re-estab-
lished their former line in the neigh
borhood Of the Rouleres-Y Ypres railway,
territory the Germans had regained.
The British official statement reads !:
"a heavy, incessant rain has fallen
throughout the last 4S hours.
"In the neighborhood Of the Ypres-
Roulers railway, where the enemy
Wednesday afternoon had succeeded
at great cost in gaining a foothold in
our advanced positions, our counter
attack launched late in the evening
drove back the German infantry at all
points and completely re-established
our former lines. On the remainder
Of the Ypres battle front there was
no change.
"On the right of the British line
southeast Of Hargicourt our troops
successfully raided the enemy's posi-
ton and secured prisoners.
"The number of German prisoners
captured In July was 4039, Of whom
85 were officers. These figures In
clude such of the prisoners as were
captured In Wednesdays operations,
who reached the collecting stations by
6 q. m. The captured material in
cludes eight field guns, SO machine
guns and 30 trench mortars."
German Prisoners Are Detected.
Prussians, Bavarians and Saxons all
have given of their number to swell
the total captured and no more defect
ed appearing men have been seen In
British prison stations since the be-
ginning Of the war. Particularly no.
noncommissioned officers and the
large number OF youths from the 1915
class, who are nothing more than raw
recruits. One veteran Of many battles
freely expressed his contempt of these
youngsters, who, he said, lacked STAN
Ina 70 stand up under the hardships
of war and could not be depended upon
In a tight place such as they found
themselves facing Tuesday.
Berlin Claims Success.
Berlin, Aug. 3.-The German battle
line in Flanders has been moved for
ward as q result Of successful coun
ter-attacks, army headquarters an
nounced. The hostile attacking force.
effected no gains and suffered heav,
losses in the face OF the unweakenet
German defensive, II is declared.