The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-03-28
South Wing of Retreating Ger
mans Forced Back.
Famed German Defense Fails
to Stop NiveIle's Army.
WEATHER MENACES BRITISH
In North Sectors Germans Hold
Back Englishmen.
Violent Artillery Battle for st.
Quentin Position.

Paris March 2S.-The advance of
the French in the region north of
scissors was continued during the
night. Progress was made north of
the Ailette river and east of the Leuil-
ly-Neuville-S Marginal line, where
important positions were captured.
These gains are recorded in today's
official report, which also indicates
unusual activity further east. The ar
tillery of both the French and the
Germans kept up a violent fire yes
terday and during the night on the
front between Butte du Mesnil and
Maisons de Champagne. Heavy artil-
Iery fighting is in progress in the re-
gion of the lower forest of Coucy.
Clear Coucy Forest.
The southern wing of the retreating
German army is slowly recoiling along
a ten mile front under the furious on
slaughts of the French. The first
section of the great Coucy-St. Gobain
forests has been completed cleared of
the invaders and General Nivelle's
troops are now face to face with the
last formidable natural barrier that
lies between them and Laon-the plat
eau of St Gobain. This densely wood
ed plateau lies between the Disc and
the Ailette and is about ten thousand
acres in extent, rising from so to zoo
feet in height No railways or hlgh
roads traverse it but an important
railroad sweeps around its southern
border and runs north to Chauny. This
road is in the hands of the French
up to within about three miles of
Anizy, which is ten miles west of Laon-
To the north, the French are about
two miles from the town of st. Gobain
location of the most famous glass fac
tory in Europe. St. Gobain is 10 miles
northwest of Laon.
Germans in Desperate Counter.
No change has taken place in the
neighborhood of st. Quentin, where
the Germans are still making desper-
ate efforts to wrest from the French
the Essigny-Benay plateau undisput-
ed possession of which will, according
to military critics, render inevitable
the fall of st. Quentin Farther to the
north, the British have made some
slight progress but no important
change has taken place Bad weather
is reported to be interfering seriously
with operations on this portion of the
front Sporadic fighting has occurred
in several of the other war theatres
but nothing to indicate the COM
mencement of major operations.
Another Wedge Drive at Laon.
London, March 2S.-General Nivelle
was driving his wedge with sledge
hammer blows against the Germans
today north of La Fere and at the
other such wedge thrusting at Laon.
The most bitter fighting of the adj
vance and the retreat SO far is CEN
tered around the point of this sec
ond wedge near St. GObain forest
Military experts here today ex-
pressed their admiration for the mar
velous speed with which Nivelle has
moved in following up every advan-
tage of the German retreat and in
forcing the enemy, in advance of it's
carefully laid plans to give way be-
fore the tremendous pressure of the
French forces.
In the meantime on the British
front the fighting was still of the
open variety as opposed to the ma sses
of men now coming to grips on the
French sectors.
Prepare AIsace Withdrawal
The British are steadily forging
ahead, cavalry and armored cars in
cessaptly harassing the retreating
Germans Weather conditions con-
progress.
Holland dispatches today detailed
reports of two German moves of ex-
ceeding interest to military critics. One
was that the Germans were preparing
for a shortening of their lines by
withdra walls in AlSace, particularly
Muel House. The second was that
Berlin had made tentative offers of a
separate peace to Russia. The terms
to include autonomy for Poland in
standardization OF Constantinople
Russian domination of Armenia and
in return, Russian evacuation of Aus
trian territory now held.