The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-05-08
British Marking Time Until
Australians Capture
Bullecourt
BITTER RESISTANCE
rs BEING OVERCOME
Grip on Great Lens Coal
Region May Soon Be
Broken
ASSOCIATED Press War Summary

Queant line are steadily closing
and the rolling up of this import
ant section of German defenses
appears to be a matter Of few
days. The Droicourt-Q -Queant line
is the hastily improvised barrier
thrown up by Field Marshal Won
Hindenburg to protect Cambrai
and Douai after the more famous
line named in honor Of himself
had been smashed by the British.
The bitter resistance offered by
the Germans to the British adj
vance centered in their defense Of
Bullecourt two and a half miles
east Of Queant. To the south the
British have forged we'll beyond
Queant but have been forced to
mark time until Bullecourt falls.
The capture of the village was
entrusted to Australians and these
hard fighting co1onials have al
most surrounded the German
stronghold.
The Droicourt- -Queant line
forms a broad salient in the Brit
ish front 18 miles at its top and
'paralleling the Douai-C Cambria
line. Droicourt is seven miles from
Douai and Queant about ten
miles from Cambria. The crush
ing in Of this salient will mean
that the German grip on the great
Lens coal region will be broken
and the entire German line in
northern France imperilled.
There are many signs that the Ger
mans realize the menace TO them in
the alternate sledge hammer blows OF
the British and French beneath which
their choicest troops are being steadily
driven from position after position.
News from the western front is not
merely being suppressed in Berlin but
IL being doctored for the consumption
OF German newspaper readers. Dis
crepancies between the German and
allies ofncial versions are apparently
arousing suspicious in some German
minds at least, and Berlin newspapers
are being bombarded with questions
that their military critics have some
difficulty In answering. There iS
significance also in the fact that the
German emperor in the latest of his
congratulatory kilograms speaks of q
serious and decisive time." instead OF
exulting over victories real or
imaginary.
Apart from France the only fighting
OF significance reported from the war
theatre is taking place in Macedonia.
The reports from this front are meagre
but they indicate an increasing activity
which presages general offensive by
the allies.
Trawlors Battle Suhmarine.
Paris, May 8.-A dispatch to the
Havas agency from Sansebastian,
Spain. tells OF a fight between a SUBJ
marine and Spanish and French traw-
lers in which two French trawlers
with small calibre guns battled for
some time with the submarine, but
finally were sunk. Two OF the Spanish
trawlers also were sent to the bottom.
"A submarine attacked the fighting
fleet consisting OF number of Spanish
and French craft, including the French
steam fishers Verdun and Marine, both
Of which were armed with small cali
bre guns. These guns were used so
effectively that the submarine was
to plunge
Later il reappeared and the flRht
was resumed. 1t lasted for an hour
and the Verdun and Marine were
overcome and sunk. Seven
sailors from the vessels are MISS
ing.
sunk during the engagement"
Germans Are Repulsed.
Paris, May S.-German counter at
lacks near Vaux Aillon and along the
Chemin Des Danes last night were
repulsed by the French the war Office
announces. Violent artillery engage
nents occurred in the region of
Craonne.
British Airmen Active.
London, May S.-F1ghting continued
in and around the village Of
3ullecourt, Reuters correspondent at
British headquarters telegraphs today.
party OF 800 Germans who succeed
ID in forcing their way through to the
southeast corner of the village were
leld up and punished heavily.
The British airmen had a good day,
bringing down seven large German
observation balloons, three of them
blaze and considerably resisting the
nemy's means of observing British
The weather. was mild
With much needed rain falling.
German Reports Doetored.
Copenhagen, via London, May g..
she German version of the French Of
cial war reports OF last Saturday
uppresses entirely the reference 10
he capture OF q portion OF the Hin-
enburg line southeast of Vauxillon.
)ther evidence Of the doctoring Of al
led official reports to make them agree
Tith claims in the German ofFlcfal
serman authorities as to the effect of
he news from the western front upon
ublic opinion.
A supplementary report supplied To
he Monday morning papers through
he German Official news bureau ir-
ores all French successes except the
apfure Of Winterburg Hill and 81
Frfffem IA ntYrh q afrnfu am - nsse1ra