The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-04-12
ierman Resistance Stifens and
Haig Settles Down to Dupli-
cate Somme 8 Story
|ERMAN LINES NEAR
ARRAS BATTERED
Military Experts Look For Des-
perate Counter Thrust North
west of Rheims Great Bat
tie RACES In Caucasus

London. April 1.-The titanic
struggle in tho west entered into
It's second stage to-day. The cy-
cionic driving power of the initial
Onslaughts spent. the back bone of
the Teuton defense stiffcncd by
hastily snmmoning reserves, con-
ccrtcd stormina strategy gave way
to sledgehammcr tactics. Sir
Douglas Haig's forces have set
tied down to the execution or
second Sommc battle, dogxcd te-
nacity In slow but constant widen
Ing Of the gaps In the German
front and an equally tenacious de-
fensc Of the ground gained against
the desperate Tcuton counter
thrusts,
Driving Against Arras.
Only today did tie momentous VIC
bry of the Canadians in the urst
Fslse hours OF tho new big push"
fcome noticeabl in all its menacing
'bnsequences 10 the Germans. Sir
Douglas Haig WAS quick TO begin its
kploiiatiun. Throughout last night
hid today his forces battered away
kains, the German lines 10 the south
Ast OF ArraS. by nightfsil they mad
)nshed their advance TO within five
hd half miles OF that town, Last
light they advanced quarter Of q
: lie along a front of two thousand
krds toward Canhraii beating Oft all
nun ter attacks ard firmly consoH
ktirg their new lines Two villages.
0nchy lie Preux and la Bergere. az
M as the important range Of
lights sAar the Monchy le- Preux
here captured.
The battle OF T.oos'' has taken the
burse of huge encircling move
amt aimed; at Camhrai. This vital
~ point of the present German line
hrned. the whole Hindenhurg line
anst automatically crumble. and dis
ter to all German armies In France
&ust follow Well aware of this
iminous menace. the German high
bmmand has rushed many huge re-
krye forces among them the "kais-
70 best" 10 the endangered lines,
I'D the British attacks are meeting
Instance OF constantly growing
tSbbornness.
The Germans came back strong on
II southern slopes OF the redouht-
bic Why ridge. determined 10 hold
bern at all cost. and, endeavorinE
81 regain the summit. they hurled
hcmseives again and again into the
arricane OF the British harraEe Are,
hey held the slopes, but were UNI
Bile 20 recapture sn inch OF the ter
hin taken by the Canadians Monday
hd yesterday.
Campaign Developing.
. In his regular official day report
" British commander described the
|tuation as developing generally in
Ecordance with our plan" After re
prtinS the capture OF the two addi-
lonal villages. he announced;
satisfactory progress Is being
Sade elsewhere.
Along the entire fif,y-mile front
|Ehting OF the most savage character
kged far into the night until dark
bss enforced pause on the infan-
n and the cannon began once more
S1hiast !nroads into the defense lines.
sving the way for tomorrows as
Spita Nor we're the Teuton big guns
be- From tho reorganized and re-
Rfprced defense batteries were hurled
steady volcano of steel But the
hiiiery preponderance. all dispatches
ION the front agree. ia clearly with
British.
Berlin did not concede the new loss
ground in It's ofYieial report today.
asserted that strong British forces
|ere repulsed with heavy losses on
bth sides of the Arras-Cambrai road.
y 10 the fghting north OF the
hnrpe. the German war Office claimed
did not make any changes in the
|ont."
Significance is attached by military
Iperts to this passage in the German
|atement:
May Mean German Attack.
|-From Valley to Rheims artillery
hing is increasing daily"
TT 10 in this sector, particularly
brthwest OF Rheims. that the German
1antry has launched frequent furi-
" attacks of late. Observers are
|cking for powerful Teuton
in this sector. Tho
rench official communicate tells Of
we're grenade fighting around Mails
ms de Champagne and violent ar
hlkry duels in lie Pretre forest.
President Poincare sent a message
hearty congratuiation to King
gorge today. praising In glowing
rms the valor OF Sir Douglas Haig's
oops.
Details OF the first day of the big
nsh'' began to come In today The
lnadians. II was learned, took near
5000 prisoners on the crest OF
|my ridge alone and captured seven
1.-TWO guns. seventy machine guns
Ia forty trench mortars.
In other sectors OF the attacking
ont three British corps took 1894,
----.---------------------------