The sun., 1917-03-23
Germans End Retreat and
New Line Is Attacked
by Nivelle's Army.
GUNS RUSHED TO FRONT
Both British and French Ar
tillery Moved East Despite
State Of Country.

at lhlS TIME, IL rs
The French have come up to the main
German line, and are attacking 1t in
the hope of upsetting the German plans.
Hard fighting has developed about st.
Quentin and La Fere, in which thus far
the advantage has been with Gen.
Nivelles army.
Before the British the German fe-
sistance has stifrened everywhere, from
Arras TO St. Quentin. Heavy snowstorms
hampered the British advance most OF
the day. and no notable progress is re-
ported, though che British right wing.
on the south, is now in full touch with
the French left. opposite st. Quentin.
Seeking Pitched Battle.
A great battle may be fought within
the next few days on the st. Quentin-La
Fere line. The cavalry actions are re-
garded in Berlin as an indication that
great events are taking place and that q
real battle is in prospect, says a Berlin
despatch. trench warfare being over for
the time on this part OF the front.
Similar hints that the Germans sought
a pitched battle in open held have al.
ready come from Berlin.
If this battle is already beginning the
initial advantage seems to be with the
French. In offence as well as repul-
sing German counter attacks which have
now begun and are another Indication
that the Germans have come to halt
the French showed themselves the better
troops in the open.
on the offensive the French crossed
the River Aiiette at several points be-
Hasa
southwest Of La Fere. The Germans
had previously held the line Of the
Ailette. interposing the river between
themselves and the French. They are
now falling back to the st. Gobain
forest. This Is the southern sector OF
the new front. northeast Of Soissons
French Hold Canal.
In the region southwest of St. Quen-
| tin. the Germans tried hard to drive the
French back across the st. Quentin
! Canal. which Gen. Nivelle's troops
crossed yesterday. These attempts were
violent. and repeated. the French War
Office reports tonight. but were thrown
back by machine gun fire.
| At the very sOuthernmost point OF the
retirement, northeast Of scissors, the
Germans made three attacks on the
French line. The French barrage fire
however. stopped the attacks. and French
guns south of the Aisne fired across the
river. enfilading the German ranks
causing heavy losses.
| All reports agree that the French ,havt
been successful In getting up their ar
tillery, despite the German efforts to
wreck the roads and impede progress
French guns played an important part ir
eli the fighting to-day.
The British artillery. also. followi
upon the heels OF thu cavalry. A
despatch from the front says: "Betweer
Ytres and Croisilles. a distance OF som,
ten miles. the Germans are holding
series of machine gun posts. especial!
strong near Ytres, but we are getting NJ
our field guns in excellent style and no
much difficulty is anticipated in reducing
them
i Takes Furniture Away.
More evidence of German ruthles ssness
ordered by the highest officers. continue
TO come in. To-night's official Frencl
statement says that Gen. Won Fleck car
ried away when he left Ham the furnish
ings OF the house which he had occupie
; In that town.
Steps are being taken to succor tn
people left without food by the German,
The military commissariat has sent 2O
bullocks to Noyon and distributed 1000
bread rations. The Germans made
clean sweep OF the Noyon banks, send
ing to Germany securities valued a
, nearly 100000. DR.. Henri de Roth
schild has given $4,000 for the relief o
. the inhabitants.
} Despite the devastation. however, tn
: French engineers rapidly repair tn
) damage. Roads are repaired almoe
. before the infsntry pass over then
) bridges rebuilt and railroads are in run
: ming order the same day the first Frenc
? patrols find them wrecked The frs
regular train service between Paris an
Scissors since the early days of tho wa
, will be started tomorrow by the North
ern Railroad.
, The Official Reports.
5 Little Is revealed by the German stat.
. ments to-day. except that there has bee
r considerable activity between Lens an
Il Arras, north of the present line OF r,
e tirement. where II has been predicted
4 some quarters the Germans present.
s would begin also to give way. The o.
ficial statements follow:
French night statement-In the re.
gion Of st. Quentin skirmishes be.
tween patrols have occurred north o,
= Dallon. Between the Somme and the
Disc the enemy In the course OF the
day made violent attempts to drive Us
back from the east bank OF the st
I. Quentin Canal, which we occupy ir
front OF Clastres and Montescourt
Successive attacks by the enemy wer,
broken down by our machine gun fire
Spirited engagements to the west o
La Fere likewise ended In a complet,
check for the enemy
! South of the Disc our detachment
i crossed the Ailette at several points
n North of the Aisne the Germans re
newed their attempt between tn
. Laon road and the river. Three at
tacks against the Vregny -Chivres lin
y were arrested by our barrage firs
South OF the Aisne, enflading the enc
my's troops. our artillery inhicte
upon them very heavy losses.
!. Big Gpn Dael In WoevPe.
!. Tho artillery fighting was quit
i. violent In the Woevrc at tho foot @
= the Meuss hills. An enemy attemp
:. on the Romainville farm. sector Of s