The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-04-20
VIOLENT BATTLE
LAST NIGHT IN
FRENCH FAVOR
Paris War Office Today Reports
Further Advances.
MethOdical Pressure of French
Like Steam Roller.
CAPTURE ENEMY'S PIVOT FORT
Caught in Vise-Like Attack,
Germans Evacuate Ft. COnde.
Two DivisiOns-4O,0O0 Men
Wiped Out.
MethOdical Pressure of French
Like Steam Roller.
CAPTURE ENEMY'S PIVOT FORT
Two DivisiOns-4O,O00 Men
Wiped Out.
CBy the Associated Prcss.)

While the French advance last night
was not so spectacular as on the pre-
ceding days of the great battle along
the Aisne and in the Champagne,
progress was nevertheless continued in
important sectors. This was notably
true northeast of SOiSsons. where the
lines of development are gradually be
ing drawn nearer to the important
railway center of LaOn. the strategic
objective in this division Of the front.
The French here gained ground near
LaffauX. The Germans reacted strong
~ on this front. but We're unable to
make any impression on the new
Frenc1 lines. The advance towards
Laon also was continued on the Nau-
clero plateau almost directly south of
this city, where the French are push
ing northward west of the Rheims
Laon road. on the plains north of
Rheims. where the Germans are cling
ing stubbornly to their strongly en-
trenched positions. several of their
trenches near Courcy were carried in
grenade attacks. Headway also was
made east of LOivre.
British Advance Too.
In the Champagne notably near
MoronVillers. the Germans launched
the expected violent counter attacks
which the French troops, their artil
lery brought up, were amply prepared
to meet. The artillery and machine
guns cut loose on the advancing col
umns reinforced by the fresh cOntin
gents from other fronts and from the
reserves. The result was that the
Germans. altho their attacks had been
prepared by heavy bombardments,
were badly cut up and failed to attain
their object.
~ London today reports British prog
ress near Nillers- Guislain. midway be-
tween St. Quentin and Cambria.
Take Several New Lines.
Paris, April 20.-VioIent fighting
continued last night during which the
French made further gains near Laf-
faux and the Nauclerc plateau, the
war office announced. Several lines
of trenches east of Loivre were cap
tured. Heavy counter attacks by the
Germans in the Champagne We're re-
pulsed with severe losses on the en-
emy.
The uniform failure of the Ger
Germans to resist the steady
and methodical pressure of the
French is the outstanding fea-
ture of the operations in the
great offensive on the Aisne and in
the Champagne. 1t is clear that Cen
eral Nivelle's armies are in no danger
of losing the initiative and that grad
ually, but surely, all the salents
along the SoisSonS-Auberive front are
being crushed.
The principal salient, to which the
enemy had clung, formed an angle
where the front running south from
st. Quentin hinged to the line run
ming eastward toward Rheims. Caught
as IN a wise by the troops advancing
northeast from LaffauX and northwest
from Naiily and Chavonne, the angle
collapsed yesterday and Fort Conde
was captured. Substantial progress
also was made in the center ground
being won east and west of Cranno
\, i.I,i n aIl
In the Champagne section on the
lContinmed on PAGE Twol