The Elk Mountain pilot., 1917-05-24
rEuroN ARMIES BURN TOWNS IN
PREPARATION FOR RETREAT
TO NEW LINES.
ITALIANS TAKE dunno
FRENCH REPULsE ATTACK NEAR
soissoN5 AND ADVANCE
TOWARD cRAoNE.
western 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
gunfire. Russians also drive back
Teuton attacks cast 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 Bull
lecourt region. British guns hammer
| Germans back.
i shington.-Honduras has severed
diplomatic relations with Germany,
following the lead of Guatemala.
London.-The British admiralty an
bounced that fourteen drifters had
been sunk in a raid by Austrian light
/ l~lc nd hot
the British light cruiser Dartmouth
was torpedoed in a subsequent 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 a point near
Camaro when. battleships coming to
their assistance, the British vessels
we're compelled to withdraw.
London. May 1S.-Failure OF Won
Hindenburg's efforts to stop the Brit.
ish progress in the Arras battle is
shown by the 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, Faris an
nounces. This desperate German
counter offensive against the French.
now in its third day. is considered In
competent quarters In Paris as intend
ed to mask a further retirement of the
German first line on other parts Of the
front, says a Paris diopatch. 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 time. A. 1t has been
a German practice to burn all towns
and villages before abandoning them
these general conflagrations are con
sidered as almost sure indications oi
q big retreat to new line of defense
Incessant fighting has been going
on at Bullecourt for two weeks. The
position of the Australian troops in
the Hindenburg line east of 'Bullecourt
between that village and Queant. ID
now more secure than at any time
since they first penetrated tbs
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 be on that VII
lage.
The Italians have made furthe,
progress In their drive pushing aheat
on Mount Vodice and also south o.
Grazigna. northeast of Gorilla. taking
town OF Duino.
The prisoners taken by the Italian'
since Monday now number 4.O21. Five
additional small-caliber guns have
been captured.