Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-04-22
MIGHTY BATTLE
BELIEVED RAGING
ON WEST FRONT
Both French and British Are
Ready to Continue Smash
ing Drives.
HAIG GAINING GROUND;
GERMANS REPULSED
Allies Have Taken 5000 Prisoners.
Nivelle Gravely Menaces Teuton
Positions on Aisne.

1ObltlOuS on AlSne.
One of the biggest battles of the war.
possibly of decisive nature, appar-
emily is in progress in northern France.
The British. after a weeks slashing
attack, eased up a few days ago in
their offensive, giving way to the
French. who started in Monday with a
magnificent rush, pushing back the
German front as much as four miles in
some places, all along the Aisne and well
into the Champagne region. Within
the last day or two, however, they
have also let down somewhat In the
intensity and scope of their attack.
Again Ready for Drive.
Now both armies seemingly are again
ready for a renewed attack. II, indeed.
they have not already begun it. The
signs were not wanting in Saturdays
German official statement. where. nat
urally. indications of it might be looked
for. rather than in the British or
French official reports
Friday afternoon strong artillery
firing was commenced along the whole
River Aisne front and also in the
AudlpdSHe, Sdlu the Berlin commune.
cation. From this the assumption
seems warranted that the French guns
are blazing way for the infantry
with bombardment Of drumfire in
tensity.
The whole front of the new French
offensive movement is included within
this field, and the infantry attack
seems not unlikely to be resumed along
the entire line.
Break Would Mean Disaster.
Should a break be effected by Gen.
Nivelle at any one Of the numerous
danger points for the Germans on this
front something approaching a disas-
ter for them would result. the least
effect of which would be a further en-.
forced retirement !.
As for the British the Berlin report
| also indicates that they are about to
resume their drive in the Arras battle.
Al tne way from Loos, north OF Lens.
down to the Arras-canbrai railway
| line the British gums began to fn-
crease the intensity of their nre FRI
day, the Germans announce. The north.
ern end Of the Hindenburg line. IT may
be judged. is about to suffer another
hammerfng. British and French. in
deed. may be ready to make com-
bined attack at each end of the line
simultaneously in a determined effort
to roll it up.
British Repulse Enemy.
By. the Associated Press.
| LONDON. April 21.-The text of the
official statement reads:
To-day the enemy made an unsuc.
cessful attempt to recover the village
of Gonnelieu. captured last night His
attacking troops. caught by our artil-
lery fire. were driven back, leaving
m in of
I'VE gained ground during the day
by local fighting along the north bank
of the Scarpe. eastward of Fampoux,
and advanced our lines slightly north.
west of Lens. In this latter area two
| other German counter attacks were
| successfully beaten off.
During the night small party Of
the enemy raided one of our crater
posts south of Ypres; a few of our men
are missing.
The somewhat improved weather
ful work yesterday. One hostile ma
chine was brought down. Two of our
machines have not returned
French Continue Progress.
PARIS. April 2I-The text of the
statement of tonight reads:
Between the Somme and the Disc
violent artillery duels occurred, espe.
cially in the region south Of st. Quen.
tin.
Between the Aisne and the Chemin
deS Danes we continued our progress
on the plateau north of Sancy. Grenade
lighting enabled us to gain ground in
the sector of Hurtebise. Our barrage
fire broke down four different attempts
made by the enemy to debouch from
trenches north of Braye-en-Laonnois.
In, ha aoin nf hait
pagne there was intermittent artillery
ngntinG, quite spirited at certain points.
NO event OF special Importance oc.
CURED on the rest of the front.
From April to April 20 the NUM-
ber of German prisoners taken by the
Franco-Britlsh troops exceeded $4,000:
the number of cannon captured in the
same period was $780,"
Belgian communication-The vera
some feeble artillery actions on the
Belgian front"
Nivelle's Victorious Advance.
tstan Correspondent of the Associated Press.)
ON THE FRENCH FRONT IN
FRANCE, Friday. April eo-Pushing
steadily here. storming with great
cash there. defeating terrific German
counter attacks and taking thousands
OF prisoners, the French carried their
victorious forward move farther today
along the entire front from scissors to
Auberive Hundreds of thousands of
men face each other in this latest bat
tie wherein skillful attack is met by
desperate defense.
AS the Associated Press correspond
ent today observed a section of the
battle for the ridge upon which runs
the Chemin- -Des- Danes road branch
ing eastward from the great Maubeuge
road four miles northward of Vailly
and parallel with the Aisne river.
patches each of a hundred German
prisoners marched toward the rear
across the fields and along the roads
to augment the 10000 already officially
counted since the engagement began
on Monday. FL
German Battery Seized.
The fact that an entire German am.
bulance section, together with its doc
tor. was taken in one haul of prisoners
the rapidity of the action.
of the French troops. as these sections.
always operate behind the first fight.
ing line. One French company got so
far forward that it cut on and captured