The sun., 1917-03-24
FRENCH GAIN IN
OPEN BATTLE
Take Offensive and Almost
Reach Outskirts of st.
Quentin and La Fere.
ADVANCE 1 TO 2 MILES
In Easy Range of Forts Ven
dOul and LieZe-British
Progress.

LONDON, March 23.-What looks like a
general engagement in the open is begin
ming about St. Quentin and La Fere.
where the German retreat in France has
sive, attacking the German positions.
while the British are also facing strong
resistance but are steadily coming up.
Fighting every inch Of the way, the
French made much progress to-day and
are now almost in the outskirts Of the
two cities. The French War Office an
nounced tonight that the Germans have
diverted the waters Of the Oise into La
Fere and that the city is flooded. This
indicates strongly that the Germans in
tend to retire to the high ground some
Ave miles beyond La Fere.
Though the French pushed ahead all
along their part Of the front their most
notable progress was made In q brilliant
attack on a wide front within only a
few miles OF st. Quentin. Here they
pushed back the Germans-though the
latter resisted stubbornly-from more
than a mile to more than two miles
deep.
Battle Along Canal.
There was hard fighting in this region
along the eastern bank Of the Somme-
Crozat Canal most Of the day. The
French had crossed the canal on either
side Of st. Simon, not quite midway be-
tween st. Quentin and La Fere. A Ger
man report says they were repulsed.
with the loss of a3O prisoners. machine
guns and carts But the French rallied
and drove the Germans far from their
original positions.
French troops about La Fere have
Also gone ahead. gaining the heights
north OF the Oise. which overlook the
valley and the city Of La Fere itself
They are now within easy gun range Of
the forts OF vendoul and Lieze. 1t is
from this region that the Germans evi-
IDENTIFY intend withdrawing to the
Observation-Disclosures line on higher
ground.
South of the Ose the French threw
more troops across the Ailette. pushing
them out toward the fringes of the For
est OF st. Gobain, position of tre-
mendous strength, which they will be
able to take only at great cost.
The Germans are now counter attack
ing the British on most of their front
Of advance, but the counter attacks were
driven of. The British are still some
fifteen miles from Cambria. though they
made progress near Ecoust and Croi-
selles, where they are nearest to Cam
brai.
Whether or not the Germans will hold
the line from Cambrai-St. Quentin-La
Fere-Laon. the Hindenburg line. it is
certain this line has been fortified with
great strength by the Germans. The las
, batch OF inhabitants of the evacuated
towns reaching Paris say that the Bel
gian and French civilians deported have
| been forced for months to work on this
| line, contrary to international law.
New Railroad system.
| THE Germans constructed a complete
new system of railroads and dug deep
| shellproof shelters" these people say. The
| Germans drew a Gordon around st. Quen-
! tin and Laon. and severe measures were
/ taken to prevent any one from entering
or leaving these cities
/ Reuters correspondent with the Brit.
| ish army wires that thus far about
10. 900 inhabitants have been left behind
| for the British to take care of. All the
women between the ages Of II and 81
are being sent to Maubeuge to make
munitions for the Germans. The cor
respondent continues
although the Germans have tolt
| these people countless stories to demon
strate their invinc!bility, they had 6
pretty good general knowledge OF tn.
| true state OF affairs in the world beyond
tn, German lines.
"The people say the German soldiers
had been talking n good deal, especially
Of late, and that Notwithstanding all ef-
forts to conceal the truth from them 1,
was surprising how much the people ap-
pea-ed to know 1t was almost possible
to judge the progress Of the Somme
battle by changes in the demeano,' o.
the Germans,
They did not attempt to conceal their
apprehensions at the prospect OF facing
another great British offensive this year
and one OF the possible reasons for this
retreat may we'll be the doubt OF the
German high command whether they
could get their men to face the possible
continuation OF such an attack"
French Reports.
The official statements follow:
French night statement:
Between the Sommc and the Disc in
the course OF the day our troops car
Icd out with decision spirited Of
fensive which was completely success
full. The enemy. despite stubborn re-
sistaNcc, was pushed back on large
front for distances varying between
two and four klometers to the north
east of the canal OF St. Quentin.
To the northeast of Tergnier our de-
tachments have pushed ahead on the
heights Immediately overlooking the
Disc Valley. In this region the Ger
mans have resorted to foundations.
The city Of La Fere is under water.
To the south Of the Oise we have
nf
River. In the region to the north OF
Scissors our troops fought for and
realized considerable progress toward
. Margival.
To the northwest Of Rheims the
Germans carried out against our
trenches before Thil two attacks which
failed under the curtain fire OF our
/. machine guns. The losses OF the en-
envy have been serious. Judging from
, the bodies OF men abandoned by him
within our wire entanglements.
Along the rest OF the front the day
has been comparatively quiet.
Aviation-To-day our anti-aircraft
, guns brought down German air
plane. which fell within our lines near
. Dieuouard.
Belgian-In the region to the north
of Dixmude the day has been charac-
terized by reciprocal Commandments OF
, varying intensity.
. French day statement;
1 North Of st. Simon the enemy made
q violent attack last night on our POSI-
Continued on TAtrd Page.