Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-03-23
RETREATING TEUTONS
HALT AND DESPERATE
CONFLICT IS OPENED
Two Mighty Armies Are Fight.
ing in the Open and Greatest
Battle in History Is Expect
ed to Be the Result
(By Associated Presa.)

NEW YORK. March 22.-French
troops are in contact with the main
German army and what may prove to be
the initial stage Of the greatest battle OF
history has opened before the gates OF
La F'era
For the first time since the great
German retreat began patrol and rear,
guard lighting has given way to the
thunder OF artillery and the clash of
major forces. The Germans are making
a stand on a line running north and
south OF LIE Fere, from St Simon to
the forest Of Coucay. distance roughly
estimated at about twenty miles
The position selected by the Germans
is protected by the Crozat canal and
the Athletic river, a tributary of the
Disc. but in this line the French have
driven a great wedge directly In front
of La Fere ana reaching to within two
miles of that important town
On this wedge Is based the hopes of
French military critics that General
NivelIe has out-maneuvered Field Mar.
shall Won Hindenburg and that La re-
is doomed and with it the whole of the
famous Hindenburg line. Paris be-
lieves that the extraordinary speed with
which the French have advanced has
disconnected the German plans and rem
ders probable q continuation OF the re-
tirement to. the Belgian frontier. The
official Berlin reports throw no light on
the situation. but 1t seems certain that
a few days or even hours must decide
the fate of La Fere.
The situation on the British front is
somewhat more obscure owing to the
rather vague character of the British
official reports. The latest reports from
London say that General Haig has push
ed ten miles east of the Somme at some
points. Measured from Peronne, this
would place the British within four or
five miles from the vital point of st.
Quentin and this estimate is supported
by unofficial dispatches from the front,
The German retirement is pivoting from
their positions east Of Arras and in this
pivotal region General Haig reports
steady progress. but no localities are
mentioned which might give a clue to
the relative Importance of the advance.
Apparently the spasmodic fighting in
the Champagne and Verdun sections has
ceased, for the time being at least, but
important news comes from another ana
far distant field of the world war. The
Russians, driving forward from Persia
have crossed the Misrepresentation border
at one point, while a second army is
continuing it's advance from Herman
shah in support of the British advance
from Bagdad. This means that the
retreating Turks are being menaced
from three sides and. according to al
lied military observers, are threatened
BY far greater disaster than even the
loss of Bagdad
What may prove to be the opening
of a German offensive on the Russian
front is reported in today's Russian off,
cial statement.
The German attack was delivered to
ward the northern end of the front, in
the region southeast Of wilma, almost d.
rectly east of Ida The Russian posi-
ton there was preached, but afterward
the Germans were driven out of a village
they had occupied. A portion of the po-
sitions, however, remained In their
hands.
The Berlin official statement reports
this move as a raid in force and does not
mention the retention of any ground
gained The Russian position was pen
etrated as far as the second line, 1t is de-
clared and the raiders returned with 225
prisoners, two guns, six machine guns
and other booty.
The German statement also reports a
revival of activity on the Rumanian
front with the armies of Archduke Jo-.
seph and Field Marshal Won Mackensen
Petrograd speaks of Teutonic activity
in the region of Fakshani. along the line
in southern Moldavia. The aerial and
artillery arms of the service are intense
" busy here, as if in preparation for an
movement.
In the aeria fighting on the Franco
Belgian front a prince of the PrusS1an
royal house apparently has been killed
or captured Berlin reports that an air
plane which was plotted by Prince Fried
rich Karl. a cousin of the German en-
peror. failed to return from a raid over
the British lines between Arras and Pc