The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-08-25
British and French Give Enemy
Another Smashing Blow in
West Flanders.
CANADIANS STORM HILL 70
Peace Proposals From the Pope Are
ColdIy Received by the Allies
Hoover Takes Control Of
American Wheat-Train-
ing Camp Men Get
Commissions.
BY EDWARD w. PicKARD.

Another smashing blow at the Ger
mans in Flanders was given last week
by the British and French. General
Haig first sent his hard-fghting Cana
dian troops after the defenses of Lens
and in an irresistible charge they
quickly captured Hill 70, the eminence
that dominates that center of the coal
region and the Loos salient and which
| the allied forces had been aiming at
for two years. The men from the Do
minion pushed on into Lens itself, but
as this is written the Germans are still
clinging desperately to the center OF
| the city, though every movement of
the troops there is covered by the guns
of the British. AS usual, the Germans
at once began a series of counter-at-
tacks on Hill 70, but these were re-
pulsed in every instance by the Cana
dams, with severe losses to Prince
Ruprecht's forces.
Meanwhile Haig directed another
great attack ON a nine-mile front east
and north of Ypres, with the efficient
cooperation of the French on their
left. The latter occupied Dreigrachten
and showed their positions forward to
the edge of the flooded area, and then
forced the crossing of the Steenbeke
and took German positions to an ex-
IRENE depth of 1000 yards. The Brit
ish took the village Of Langemarck
and occupied much territory there and
about st. Julien.
Increasing resistance by the Rus
slams and hard fighting by the Rouma-
mans slowed up somewhat the prog
ress of the Teutonic forces through
Moldavia toward southern Russia, but
the advance of the enemy continued,
nevertheless. Won Mackensens most
important victory Of the week was the
capture Of Panciu, big railway juno
ton. Unless there should be another
collapse, the further east the Germans
go, the harder they will find the going
Fearing that enemies of the new re-
public would attempt to liberate the
ex-czar, the government had Nicholas
and his family removed secretly and
swiftly from Tsarkoe-Selo and sent
them to Tobolsk, Siberian town that
isn't even on railroad.
Peace Proposals From the Pope.
Pope Benedict last week submitted
to the warning nations definite pro-
posal for peace. In all the capitals it
was received with the serious consid-
Grafton due it because of its impress
siveness and its distinguished source,
but the general trend of opinion among
diplomats was that it would result in
nothing. Despite the evident sincerity
| of the popes' plan, the peace he pro-
| poses is too much of German peace"
to suit Great Britain, France and Italy,
and 1t is not conceivable that Presi-
dent Wilson and the United States
would accept 1t as stated. Germany
and her allies doubtless would be only
<too pleased to end the war on the
terms suggested; indeed, the pope's APP
F., peal at this time is considered by many
| to have been inspired by Austria.
Briefly, his holiness would have all
conquered territories restored, includ-
| ing Germany's colonies, and the peace
full settlement Of the questions Of Al
| ace-Lorraine and Italia Irridenta left
| to the future; he thinks there must be
| no reparation for losses sustained, and
no continuation of the war by an eco
nomic struggle thereafter; and for
| the avoidance Of future wars he in
| dorses President Wilson's plan of in
ternational agreement to reduce arma-
ments, enforce peace and obtain rec
IGNITION of the national aspirations of
| the smaller peoples.
Do Not Seem Reasonable.
Unless the utterances of their lead
| We do lob nrinting a. fair prices,