The state herald., 1917-05-25
rEuToN ARMIES BURN TOWNS IN
PREPARATION FOR RETREAT
TO NEW LINES.
ITALIANS TAKE dunno
FRENCH REPULsE ATTACK NEAR
soissoNs AND ADVANCE
TOWARD cRAoNE.
Newspaper Union New. Service.

Western Newspaper Union News Service.
London.-The number Of men killed
in the war thus far was estimated at
100000 by Arthur Henderson. mem
ber of the war council, In an address
at Richmond.
Germans launched offensive on Rus.
SLAMS at Mitau. but stopped by heavy
gLnfire. Russians also drive back
Teuton attacks. east Of Koveika in
Rumania.
North and east OF Gorizia Italians
continue driving back Austrian forces
The Germans used burning liquid In
futile attack northwest of Rheims.
Crown Prince hurls forces at French
line along Chemin des Danes. but is
thrown back everywhere except at
Cerny. where one trench was taken.
Italians captured the heights OF
Hill 652. the key to the Vodice posi-
tion. and took nearly 400 prisoners.
Intense aerial activity and incessant
artillery duels continue along the Aus
tro-Italian front.
Artillery fighting continues in Bul.
lecourt region. British guns hammer
Germans back.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. has severed
diplomatic relations with Germany.
following the lead Of Guatemala.
London.-The British admiralty an.
nounced that fourteen drifters had
been sunk In raid by Austrian light
cruisers In the Adriatic sea and that
the British light cruiser Dartmouth
was torpedoed in subseQusnt en-.
gagement with the Austrian warships,
but reached port safely. The ad.
miralty stated THAT the British war.
ships Dartmouth and Bristol pursued
the Austrian vessels to point near
Camaro when. battleships coming to
their assistance. the British vessels
were compelled to Withdraw.
London, May 1S.-Failure Of Won
Hindenburg's efforts to stop the Brit
ish progress In the Arras battle 10
shown by tho fact that the last Ger
mans who held out in Bullecourt have
been captured and the whole village
is In British hands.
On the French front German attacks
were incessant but vain, Paris an.
nounces. This desperate German
counter offensive against tho French.
now in Its third day. is considered In
competent quarters in Paris ~ intend.
ed to mask further retirement Of the
German first line on other parts Of the
front. says . Paris dirpatch. During
the last few days the number Of fires
in villages behind the German front
north and south Of St. Quentin has
greatly increased.
st. Quentin itself has been in
flames for some timo. As It has been
q German practice to burn all towns
and villages before abandoning them.
these general conflagrations are con.
sidered as almost sure indications OF
a big retreat to new line OF defense.
lncessant fighting has bsen going
on at Bullecourt for two weeks. Tho
position OF the Australian troops In
the Hindenburg line east Of Bullecourt
between that village and Queant. is
now more secure than at any time
since they first penetrated the
trenches OF the defense system. Que.
ant is practically uncovered from the
west. and the next attack in this re-
gion is very likely to bc on that vii.
lage.
The Italians have made further
progress In their drive pushing ahead
on Mount vodico and also south OF
Grazigna. northeast Of 0orizia. taking
town OF Duino.
The prisoners taken by tho Italians
since Monday now number 4,02l. Five
additional smallcaliber guns have
been captured.
a 49,