The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-03-10
GERMANY ADMITS
The WITHDRAWAL
Movement Was Voluntary and
Systematic, However, Says
Berlin War Office.
THE FALL OF BGPAUME NEAR
Main Force of Teuton Army Already
Some Distance in Rear of
Town, Says Paris.

Berlin. Mar. German army head
quarters today announced a voluntary
and systematic withdrawal of parts OF
the German advance positions on both
banks Of the Ancre. on the Franco
Belgian front
The withdrawal, II was announced,
was effected several days ago, the
movement being concealed from the
British The statement reads:
"On both banks of the Anere sew
eraI days ago, for special reasons. a
part OF our advance positions was
voluntarily and systematically evac-
uated and the defense has been placed
in another prepared line Our move
ment remained concealed from the
enemy Rear guard posts, acting
carefully, hampered his troops, which
only with hesitation CROPPED forward.
occupying without fighting the strip
Of land which was abandoned by US
and which is lying in ruins Yielding
in the face OF a numerically superior
attack, as had been ordered, these
minor detachments inflicted consider
able sanguinary losses upon the
enemy, and up to now have captured
chine guns. and today still dominate
the field in front OF our positions"
Fall OF Bapaune Near
Paris, Mar 2-The Germans have
already fallen back behind Bapaume.
and the fall of that town is imminent.
according to information from the
front which has reached military cir
cles here. The new German line is
said 10 run along the road from Ba-
paume TO Peronne and some distance
in the rear of the former town.
During the retirement the Germans
have Systematically destroyed their
dugouts and provision depots, and
rendered their trenches useless. An
Australian patrol in one place found a
chain stretched across q ravine and
discovered in time that It was con-
nected with a mine at either end. The
German artillery fire is said TO have
been notably feeble during the recent
retreat, but heavy guns are reported
still in position at Bapaume, mounted
on rails.
London, Mar 2-In a statement in
the house Of commons today dealing
with recent happenings on the Franco
Belgian front. Henry w Forster, fl
nancial secretary Of the war office,
said that until the last few DAYS the
British operations necessarily had
been confined to minor attacks. In
these, he said. heavy losses had been
inflicted upon the Germans, more
than 5000 prisoners taken and ground
Of considerable importance gained.
Retreat Growing Wider.
London, March 1.-GOmmecourt, one
OF the German, strong points which
held out against the fury Of the Brit
ism offensive launched last July, is
the latest Of the French villages TO be
/ yielded by the Germans, whose retir-
| ing movement began a few days ago
Puisieux-au-MOnt and ThiIloy also
were occupied by the British CONNIE
court has been in the nose" OF the
salient jutting into the British lines
/ for months, and its occupation marks
I the giving way of what was regarded
as the northern hinge Of the German
line which is now swinging back. and
lends further color to the theory that
this is but the first step towards shor-
/ tening the line in the Arras-Somme
region
Within Mile of Bapaume.
Meanwhile the British have ap-
| preached to within q mile OF Ba-
paume, in which town further explos-
/ ions have been heard. II is reliably
reported that the famous Bapaume
clock tower, long spared by the Brit
ish artillery. has been blown up by
/ the Germans In fine weather the
/ British have been able to read the
/ hour by this clock and picture the Ger
man activities about the tower. The
! clock towers at Achiet le Petit and
/ Bucquoy also have been blown up.
/ the Germans apparently being determ-
ined to leave nothing behind which by
any chance could be made available
/ for observation purposes