The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-04-24
Battle of Carso Growing in Vi0-
lence Hourly.
Germans MaSSed There Rushed
Back to French Front.
WIDE ADVANCE BY BRITISH
Haig's Renewed Thrust Carries
Many Villages.
Bitterest Fighting of Present
Offensive Is Raging.

Rome, April 24.-The battle in the
Carso is becoming increasingly violent.
Dispatches from the front today in
dicated terrific fire from the Italian
artillery and enlarged on the splendid
morale of the Italian troops. General
Cadornd was quoted as expressing the
utmost confidence.
There have been several indications
recently that Italy was about to start
a great offensive in the Carso and the
dispatch above apparently bears out
this belief, altho the Italian censor
evidently does not permit direct state
ment to this effect
Prior to the start of the British drive
early in March, Swiss reports declared
Field Marshal Won Hindenburg was
massing great bodies of troops on the
Italian front, presumably preparing
for a German drive, but recently, 1t is
believed most of these men have been
transferred back to the western front
to aid in opposing the Franco British
offensive.
British Forge Ahead.
London. April 24.-The British
gained ground on a wide front last
night south of the BapaumeCa Cambrai
! road. They reached the st. Quentin
canal at one point. Further north the
! villages of Beaucamp and Villers-
! Plouich were captured.
The positions gained on the French
/ front yesterday says the statement
were maintained. Further progress
was made east of Monchy and near
/ RoeuX.
! What apparently is the bitterest
fighting of the present Anglo-French
offensive is raging today along the
Wolan line, the hastily organized
position east of Arras. to which the
tGermans retired when the northern
end of the Hindenburg line was turned
by General Haig. The Germans are
putting forth supreme effort to hold
this vital portion of their de-enses for
the crumbling of which would expose
Douai and Cambria nd bring into
prospect another great retreat
Two Wedges Driven In.
The British have driven two wedges
into the German positions. forming
sharp salients in the region of the
Scarpe river and north of the
Bapaume- Cambria road. The head
of the first salient has been thrust
within four miles of Vitry the most
important point on the Wolan line,
but the tenacity and power with which
the Germans are fighting leaves the
issue for a time in doubt
| The semi-open character of the
fighting affords little opportunity for
the use of the great howitzers. the
monstrous engines of destruction being
hest adapted for the smashing of per-
manent defenses.
! The battle is being waged largely
with machine guns and artillery and
/ the meager reports indicate heavy
losses on both sides, altho the British
claim that their casualties are moder-
ate, compared with those of the
, enemy.
strike Under Control?
| The situation behind the German
lines. fraught as it is with far more
tremendous possibilities than those
! presented by any battle. remains du
bious and uncertain. The little news
that trickles across the German from
tier indicates that the authorities
gained the upper hand over the strik-
ers by the drastic method of militariz-
ing the munitions industry and forcing
! strike leaders into the fighting ranks.
I 1t is too early and information is too
meager to say whether these stern
measures of repression have definite
ly crushed the startling storm of dis
content which has swept over the Ger
man empire.
The only news from Austria in some
days is to the effect that the Pan
German leaders have emerged as VIC
tors in the struggle for control of the
government This news is vague. how
ever. and comes by roundabout
route. Reliable information as to con-
ditions in the dual monarchy is abso-
lutely lacking.
Repulse Heavy Counter Attacks.
Paris, April 24.-GeneraI Nivel1e's
troops are holding positions today they
/ WreSted from the enemy in last weeks
great offensive movement despite all
German counter attacks.
The official statement of today men,
toned number of these German as
saults designed to shake the French
grip on their lines, all of which were
! repulsed. A number of scattered ac-
tions are reported.
British Attack on Macedonia.
Sofia, April 24.-Via London.-A Pc
riod of drum fire on the Macedonia
! front between the Nardar and Lake
Doiran yesterday was followed by a
British attack which was repulsed
says a war office statement today.
The announcement reads:
"All day Monday our position be-
tween the Vardar and Lake Doiran
were subjected to violent artillery fire
which at times attained the intensity
of drum fire. In the evening British
infantry units advanced but were SAN
guinarily repulsed.''