New Britain herald., 1917-04-23
HAIG'S MEN OPEN NEW OFFENSIVE ON sa'
 THE RIVER SCARPE
Jump Forward on Wide Front and
 First Reports Say Pro- gress Is Satisfactory

CENSOR HOLDS VEIL UYEk
 AUSTR0-GERMAN AFFAIRS Events Transpiring in Central En-
 pires Kept From Outside World
 Failure of Agitators to Mince Words
 Indication of Weakening Autocra- cies-Brltain Hopes for Master
 Stroke Against Turks.
 Ushered in by prolonged artillery ibombardment, a renewed attack has been begun by the British in north crn France.
 The new stroke, marking a resump- ton after weeks interval of the British offensive begun on April g, was given its initial impetus today on both sides of the Scarpe, as the official statement puts it.
 s The statement embodies a report of progress sent by General Haig.
 The extent of the attack has not yet been clearly developed but as it is announced to have been launched on a wide front it probably reaches we'll toward the Vimy positions on the north and beyond the Arras-Cam- sbrai. road to the south.
 Early details of the offensive, re- port the shattering of the last re- maining defenses of the Hindenburg line north of the Scarpe. This was accomplished by the. taking of the town of Gavrelle, on the Arras-Donai road, on the front between Fampoux and Baillelil. This capture marked new advance of about mile.
 South of the Arras-Cambrai road, the line has been .straightened out by the capture of the village of Guemap- pc. Already more than 1000 addi- tional Germans have been taken pris- Oners.
 Silence regarding what is transpir- ing in the Central empires serves to. accentuate the reports of grave inter nal troubles. In spite of the asser- tions of the German press that the great Berlin strike. which involved at least 100000 workers, is over, there is evidence that the agitation is con- tinuing. The Berlin Tageblatt ad- mits that the members of two of the munitions workers unions have re- fused to return to work and says that those who persist in their refusal will be called to the colors.
 The meaEre light which sifts through the veil of the German censorship dis appears entirely in the case of Aus :. tria. Following persistent reports that Count Ti5za, premier of Hungary. and foremost exponent in the dual .s monarchy of the German idea, had re- signed. all information as to cOndi- z tfons in Vienna or Budapest ceased. The one thing that appears certain is that the socialists and radicals in both empires have recently drawn much closer together and that inf1ammatory language is being used with an i'm punity inconceivable in the earlier days of the war.
 In the meantime the revolutionary . spirit which is rampant throughout Europe has given a sensational dem onstration in Sweden. The food situa' :. ton Is ostensibly the cause for the re. ' markable events in Stockholm where great multitude of workers tried tt force their way into the parliament ks : unrebuked shouts for republic and . that the ominous word revolution was freely used gives another aspec to the affair, The royal castle is un der guard and more ser1ous outbreak are predicted for May l.
 While the revolutionists gather headway and audacity in the mon archial kingdoms of Europe. thu armies of the British and Frencl democracies are massing their gun and shells for another tremendou thrust against the German lines il France There is nothing definite t. indicate where the blow will fall, bu 2 the general opinion in the allied capi tals is that General Hatg is about t make another great effort to smasl his way through to ambrai and DOua {. Pending these developments publi interest has been keenly aroused b the crypic words of Lord Curzor member of the British war counc keep your eye on Mesopotamis .The uninterrupted successes of tn British forces in the valley of tn Tigris, who are now some eight mile north of Bagdad have given rise t the hope that Lord Curzon's word z were a prediction of some overwhelm ing blow against the shattered force of the Sultan.
 The main Turkish forces are : present surrounded by the British an
 Russian armies, and their only roa of retreat lies across an almost i'm passable desert.
 British Progress Satisfactory.
 London, April 23.-The British hay
 opened an attack on wide front i
 the region of the Scarpe river Tn official report issued today says ths