The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-05-10
BRITISH STRIKE
AT new ANGLE
SOUTH OF LENS
Haig Takes Advantage of Dead
lock at FresnOy.
Bloody Struggle Recalls Worst
of Verdun Battles.
TROOPS FROM EAST FRONT
DISCRIMINATION of Russ Army
Blow to Allies.
General NiveIle Reports French
Victory at Cheyreux.
TROOPS FROM EAST FRONT
DISCRIMINATION of Russ Army
Blow to Allies.
General Nivelle Reports French
Victory at Cheyreux.

London, May 10.-With the British
offensive temporarily deadlocked
around Fresnoy and Bullecourt, Field
Marshal Haig struck in new direc-
ton today and captured a portion of
the German front and support lines
south of the Souchez river. just south
of Lens His official report today
announced the capture of number of
prisoners.
Still Struggle for Bullecourt.
London, May 1O.-Fresnoy was still
the scene of a tremendous tug of war
today between British and German
massed forces. Fighting doggedly the
British had managed to retrieve a
part of their loss in the German re-
capture of the village Saturday but
today the big mass of reserves dis
posed there by Hindenburg were con-
testing every inch of the way.
The Germans evidently regard
Fresnoy as a key to Douai which is
itself one of the main German depot
points behind the Hindenburg line-and
propose to stop further British prog
ress there with every resource at their
command.
Bulleoourt was another storm cen .
ter of fighting thru most of the night
and early today.
on the French front General Nj
Velle's forces were apparently making
progress out of Craonne, despite vic
tent German cOunteT-attackS.
Recalls Vcrdun Battles
The battle for Fresnoy continues to
rage with fury recalling the bloody
struggles for Forts Douaumont and
Naux in the battle of Verdun Thou
sands of lives are being poured out for
the mastery of the little heap ruins
that was once village and the black
ened, blasted stumps that were once a
wood, so that Fresnoy threatens to
rank with Vimy in the price paid for
its possession. The great importance
of the position is due to the fact that
it forms the last important defense to
the northern end of the Drocourt-
Queant line and also covers the My
remaining railroad to Lens, connecting
the coal city with the main German
line to the south. The Drocourt-
Queant line traverses one side of Il
railroad triangle which has Lens, Ar
ras and Nitry as its respective angles.
All of one side of this roughly equi-
lateral triangle is in the hands of
the British and about one-half of its
base. Fresnoy must be held if the
whole triangle is not to be evacuated
and the fall of Lens rendered certain.
Bring Troops From East Front.
The enormous concentration of Ger
man divisions on the British front and
the marked increase in gun power give
added significance to the reports that
Field Marshal Won Hindenburg is with
drawing both men and artillery from
the eastern area. The Discrimination
of the Russian army apparently had u
very serious effect on the whole allied
situation and has materially increased
the burdens of the British and French.
The news from Russia is far from re
assuring and apparently the provision
al government is still in a precarious
position.
There are no marked developments
i'm the other war theatres. Fighting
on the Macedonian front goes on with
conflicting reports from the rival
camps containing nothing to tell
whether a movement in force is I'M
der way. Desultory fighting is re-
ported from the Italian front but
Rome gives no sign that resumption
of a drive on Triest is in prospect.
French Make Good Gains.
Paris, May 1O.-More gains by Gen
eral Nivelle's troops in repulsing an
attack in. the region of ChevreuX and
a widening of the French wedge on
the German lines across the northern
slope of the plateau of Vauclerc, were
detailed in tOdays official statement
German counter-attacks of great
force were struck during the night
against several parts of the French
lines along Chemin des Danes, the
war office said. All were unsuccess-
full. The most powerful of these blows
was upon the positions taken by the
y.
successful were the French in repuls-
ing this violent assault that they NOV.
ed forward themselves in following il
up. Capture of a fortified German
position was announced in the officia
statement as the net result.
On the northern slope of the
plateau of Vauclerc the French sue.
ceeded in widening their grip, taking
a number of prisoners belonging to a
new German division. There were
patrol and skirmish engagements al
along the remainder of the front