The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-08-20
Shell Holes Replace Trenches.

BFlIlEn kEOnL LII FRANCE ana bel-
GUM. Aug. 20.-CBy The Associated
,Press) 1.-The beginning Of the fourth
year Of the war finds the Germans
rapidly making a radical change in
their methods Of defense along the
British battle front in northern
France and Belgium. The continuous
lines OF wonderfully constructed for
ward trenches with their deep dug
outs, in which lived and fought great
numbers Of men, are fast passing in
to the discard.
: The enemy is adopting, the system
. Of scattering his advance forces over
a great depth. Cunningly construct
ed strongholds among the myriad of
Z shelI-holes along the front now con-
: ceal innumerable small and more or
(. less isolated garrisons Of men who
formerly fought shoulder to shoulder
along great stretches of picturesque
bitches, through which Commmica-
ton was not broken for miles.
This alteration has been brought
about by the ever increasing pre-
ponderance of British artillery which
has buried the Germans front line
Trenches under an avalanche of
shells and has left the defenses moth
fng but heaped burrows of earth and
has made the famous dugouts veri-
table mantraps in which countless
thousands have lost their lives with
out a chance of fighting back.
Heavy Russian Losses.
& Berlin, Aug. 20-The German Of
Hcial statement yesterday said:
Since the beginning of our opera
tons on July 10, in eastern Galicia,
Bukowina and Moldavia there have
fallen into the hands of the 'Teuton-
ic) allies, sos officers, 81, 800 men, 257
guns, 54S machine guns, 191 mine
throwers and $4,000 rifles. In war
material there were captured large
masses of munitions, $4,000 gas
masks, II armoFed cars, Is motor
lorries, two armed trains, six loaded
Railway trains, 26 locomotives, 21S
railroad cars. several airplanes, a
barge number Of vehicles and COnsid-
cradle supplies Of provisions.
= 1T is especially noteworthy that
during the recent lighting munitions
columns. trains and railway trans
ports, in spite of the heaviest de-
mands, smoothly assured the work of
conveyance to and from the front
which is so important for the con-
Duct Of fighting.
"By careful Instructions and the
faithful execution of duty all move
ments Of troops were carried through
according to plan and the troops in
action were always supplied with the
Necessary quantities of munitions,
Provisions and other war necessities.
This was the case in the west in
spite of the enemy fire which was
directed to the rear of our positions
and in the east in spite of all OBJ
stacles which the nature of the ter
rain, the weather and the devastation
of war had caused"
B French Take Ridge.
Berlin, via London, Aug. 20.-The
war Office announces that the French
without lighting have occupied the
Ta1ou ridge on the Verdun front.
On the Rumanian front, in the Oitu
region, the Austro-Germans took
1.500 prisoners and captured thirty
machine guns. A stubborn battle de-
Eeloped at the MaTasecthpi statigfl,
on the Sereth river, the Teutons cap
turing more than 1900 prisoners.
The Italians in their offensive in
the Isonzo front, begun yesterday,
have crossed the Isonzo river and
have already taken 1900 prisoners, 1t
was officially announced by the war
rAenar fAHau