The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1917-05-23
GERMAN EFFORT
TO STEM TIDE
IS A FAILURE
Hindenburg Unable to Re
gain Offensive Despite
Costly Effort
LULL PRECEDES
ALLIED ATTACK
New Crop of Peace Rumors
From Many Sources
Received
lBy Associated Press.l,z

The second phase of the great bat
tie of the Arras, the Aisne and Cham
payne has ended in the complete fail
ure of the most determined and cost
ly German effort to stem the tide OF
victory now setting against them. The
net results of Field Marshal Won
Hindenburg's efforts to regain the
initiative has been that the French and
British have frightened their grip on
his line and have placed in great
peril the key position held by the Ger
mans in northern France.
The customary lull which separates
all major actions in modern warfare
has now come and the expectation is
that it will be broken by British blow
on a great scale against the Drocourt
Queant line already practically OUT
flanked. In the meantime the usual
crop of peace rumors which mark
these lullS, has made its appearance.
Reports from all kinds of sources, un-
official, semi-official, inspired" and
the like tell of offers from Austria to
Russia, Germany to Russia and Aus
tria and Germany to, the collective
entente powers. The unnamed diplo-
mats who apparently infest Switzer-
land are unusually active but there is
nothing tangible or authentic to show
what. these reports. are worth.
The latest German-Spanish crisis
has subsided with the receipt of note
by Madrid from Berlin which Premier
Prieto announces as satisfactory. Ger
many promises. to respect SPANS
rights in her territorial waters.
French Nuke Attatks.
Paris. May -Snccessrul attacks
were made BY the French last night
on three parts Of the front. the war
Office announces,
The attacks were mAde on the Aisne
front. In the region of the California
plateau the French captured observa-
tion points dominating the Ailette val
ley. Progress was made on the north
ern slope of the heights east OF Chew
reux. Three lines of German trenches
east of Chevreux were captured during
the night. German counter attacks
failed.
Artillery Duel.
London, May 23.-"Last night the
enemy again heavily bombarded our
positions on the Hindenburg line near
Bullecourt," says today's official state
ment. "Our artillery replied vigorous
ly. No hostile attack developed.
1--WE made successful raid early to-
day southeast of Gavrelle, A number
OF Germans were killed without any
casualties among our troops.
I'VE captured a few prisoners DUR
ing the night as a. result of patrol en-
counters north OF Armentieres."
Hindenburs Watches Attack.
On the French front in France, May
22.-(From a staff correspondent of
The Associated Press)-Von Hinden-
burg himself is understood to have
been a spectator of the French victor
les yesterday evening on the Moronvil-
liers range which resulted in the cap
ture of several fines of German
trenches and a number OF important
observation points. The German
commander is known to have been
just northwardsof this section on Sum
day. His presence is supposed to
have been in connection with an at
tack on the French lines which the
Germans intended to deliver Tuesday
morning. The French forestalled them
and after demolishing German ma
chine gun nests and other defenses
with artillery, launched an assault
which was SO brilliantly successful
that more than 1000 Germans were
captured. At the same time the
French obtained elbow room beyond
the ridge for future operations.
AS outlined to the correspondent
today the operations in this region de-
veloped into a struggle for observa-
RO0O10GAgAA
dispensable under present conditions
of warfaress On their forward drive on
the Moronvillier. range the French cap
tured all those positions dominating
the surrounding territory. From them
they are able to watch the movement
OF German supply columns and rein-
forcements and thus harass them,
making precarious the German hold
of the Rheims plains.
The system of fortiflcation encount-
cred by the French in their advance
was more formidable than any they
have snet before but the clever maneu-
vering of their infantry and the fire
OF their artillery overcame the diff
culties. Thus the French were able to
resist a victory at cost amounting
to only one-t fifth that Of the Germans.
James Hazen Hyde was permitted to
make a flight over the lines in an air.
plane before the attack. Two French
lighting airplanes escorted him and
held of German machines which how
cred about Mr. Hyde has taken an
official position with the X. nj. 9. "A.
which intends to make arrangements
for American troops similar to those
which have been made for the British
behind the lines. They are invaluable
for the men when they are resting af-