The patriot. [volume] (Indiana, Pa.) 1914-1955, 1917-06-16
A GENERAL SURVEY OF
lHE WAR

Sir Douglas Haig, commander OF the
British forces in France, refuses to
accept Hindenburg's verdict that the
entente's spring drive is over and has
failed. AS if in reply to the message
from the kaiser to the empress, the
British drove home a powerful punch
to the southwest of Lens, the big
French coal city.
Good progress already has been
made on the front attack and mum
ber of prisoners have been captured"
was all the official report said. The
past has taught the var Office to take
no chances in reporting good prog
ress." Good news is, therefore, looked
for.
UnOfficially it is figured that 713
airplanes were shot down on the west
ern front in May, of which 442 were
German and 271 British and French.
British headquarters admitted the loss
OF eighty-six machines, but as the
French do not announce any war
losses 1t is impossible to verify the
inference that they lost 1856. The esti.
mate Of 271 Is compiled from German
official reports. Total air losses for
April were estimated at 709.
Arrangements have been completed
with the German government for the
withdrawal of all British war prison
ers from the firing line, according to
an official announcement. The pris-
Oners win be kept minimum distance
of 1871 miles from the actual front.
both in the eastern and western zones.
According to Rome reports Austrian
losses between May IA and 20 are
estimated at $4,000 dead, wounded and
missing, including five generals and
forty high officers. One hundred can
non have been taken or destroyed
The Giornale di Italia says that EN-
peror Charles soon will proclaim
Trieste autonomous whereby it will
become free city, like Hamburg and
Bremen. The announcement, the paper
says, will be accompanied by numer.
Gus amnesties.
Heavy gun firing reaching a stage OF
great intensity in the region of the
dunes on the Belgian coast and in
the Ypres bend, particularly in the
WytSchaete sector, says the official
statement issued by the German army
headquarters staff.
Reports from both Berlin and Lon
don indicate the probability that All
important military movement by the
oyl Sc %hn Lotto
front-possibly an attempt in force to
hit the German flank on the coast a
crushing blow.
A pitch of notable intensity such a,I
usually precedes an attack has been
reached by the artillery fire near the
coast and to the south in the Ypres
district The German war ONCE an
nOunces this extremely heavy bonn.
bardment.
Between April Is and May "a
the number of German prisoners
falling into French hands reached a
total of 31.S29, Of whom 2S,O45 were
nnwounded. This period covers three
phases OF the general attack, now
temporarily abated, which the French
undoubtedly will continue when the
proper moment arrives.
Upon an almost forgotten theater of
war signs f1ared up of a new menace
to Austria-Hungary at moment when
it needs all available man-power on
the Isonzo.
The Rome war Office issued a brief
bulletin announcing the capture of
four villages in Albania, northwest of
the Adriatic seaport of Avlona. No
details were given, but the advance is
taken as the beginning of a new often
sive against the dual monarchy whose
troops occuny most of Albania. The
Italian forces there virtually form the
extreme left wing of General Sarraips
Balkan army.