Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-03-24
Whole Hindenburg Line Men,
aced by NiveIIe's Drive
Through to the Disc.
TEUT0NS DESPAIRING,
REPORTS INDICATE
Several Days Heavy Fighting in vi
cinity of st. Quentin-Kaiser's
Men Fail Near Thil.

Increased peril to the so-called Hin
denburg line of the Germans in north
ern France. running through Camb-ai
st. Quentin. La Fere and Laon. is in
dicated by today's Paris official state
ment.
The French are continuing their
strong pressure from st. Quentin to
the Aisne and have driven through to
the Disc river.
That the Germans were despairing of
holding La Fere, a key-point in the
new line. was indicated by last nights
announcement that they had opened
the sluice gates and flooded the city.
The new French advance TO the oise
can hardly fail to make the place still
more difficult to hold.
French Continue to Gain.
By the Associated Press
PARIS. March 24.-The French con-
tinued to push forward last night in
the region south of St. Quentin in
which heavy fighting has been in prog
ress for several days. They reached
the west bank of the Disc north of
La Fere and gained additional ground
east of the Athletic river.
The French forces operating to the
northeast of st. Quentin canal have
. shed back the Germans between one
and a quarter and two and half miles
and also have gained additional ground
on the heights northeast of Tergnier
overlooking the Disc valley, according
to the French official communica ton
issued last night. Two German attacks
near Thil. northwest of Rheims. were
repulsed.
Weather flinders Operations.
LONDON, March a4.-For the last
twenty-four hours the weather on the
front in France has been of the worst
possible wintry type, with the result
that field operations have been brought
almost to a standstiIl. Reuters cor
respondent at British headquarters
wires that more definite resistance is
being offered by the German rear
guards as they are pressed back by the
British advanced troops. This is par
ticularly noticeable along the irregular
line running in a northern and north
western direction from De Savy wood.
which lies about three miles west of
ST. Quentin.
In the most northerly sector affected
by the retreat the Germans continue
and cavalry guards and also have
posted many machine guns at chosen
vantage points. indicating that they
intend to prevent the British from
continuing 10 progress as rapidly as
they have done heretofore.
Cavalry Skirmishes.
Although some cavalry skirmishes
were reported as well as small clashes
of accommodating parties. there was no
appreciable change in the situation
yesterday. in addition to the tendency
of the Germans to offer greater re-
sistance Behind all the newly ac-
quired British front the greatest ac-
tivity continues. both in the way of
troop movements and in the construc-
ton and repair of roads and railways.
Thus far about 10000 inha bitants
have been left behind by the Germans
during theiI retreat, mostly elderly or
very young persons. Reuters corre-
spondent reports that all the women
between the ages of seventeen and
tIlirty-fve are being sent to the for
tress at Maubeuge. as the Germans say
that if they were left behind they
would make munitions for the French,
and they are keeping them to make
munitions for themselves.
German Attacks Checked.
Encounters between British patrols
and German detachments have occurred