The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-11-03
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SUMMARY OF WAR

Blowing up bridges as they re-
treated, the Germans on the Aisne
front in northern France have given
up their preearious hold .on the
Chsmin -des. DANES plateau and re-
tried TO the north bank Of the Ailette
river along a front Of approximately
thirteen miles, closely followed by
the French.
This retirement by the German
crown prince has been in prospect
since the recent successful drive by
General Petain southwest of Laon'
which carried the French to the
banks of the Disc -AiSne canal at the
westerly end Of the Chemin -des'
Danes and gave them artillery dom.
ination of a large section OF the Ger"
man lines TO the east.
Another German retirement is
under way In France. For the sec
ond time within eight months, allied
pressure has caused q withdrawal OF
the Teuton line on the western front.
The Germans have retreated from
the hiIIy front Of the Chemin- deS-
Danes, northeast Of Scissors and
south Of Laon, according TO Berlin.
The German war Office, however,
fails TO define the limits Of the re
tirement accurately. The French
statement Of Friday night has not
yet reached this country and the
other side OF the Berlin report 10 not
known. The German statement says
the troops OF the German crown
prince systematically Withdrew their
lines "unnotiesd and undisturbed by
the enemy"
Probably the Germans have only
retired across the Ailstte river from
ChaVignon to Craonns. about thirteen
miles, or they may have started on
retreat pareIlslins that Of last
March on the Somme, when they
finally fell back before Anaie.Frsneh
pressure from Arr 70 Scissors.
General Pstain, IN his sueeesstul
drive last week reached the Disc.
Aisne canal eight miles southwest ot
Eaon and captured more than 1000
prisoners. From the positions gain.
ed then the French epuld and did
bombard the Germans cilunina 60 tlaR
hilly strip betWeen the ctTmin-deE
DANES and the Ailstte. Fl
Withdraw One Mile.
AS appears from today's Paris Of
ficial statement the Germans are
now on the north bank OF the Ailette,
a maximum distance OF a mile back
of their previous positions. while the
French have moved up to the south
bank of the river.
There is no hint in the official re-
ports from either side as TO whether
further retirement by the crown
prince is in prospect. He was virtual
ly compelled by the superiority OF
the new French positions 10 fall back
at least as far as he has. The proba-
bilities seem that he will take up a
position on the heights just north OF
the Ailette, which command the ap-
proaches to Laon, keystone Of the
German western front at its south
westerly bend.
British destroyers have put an end
to the career Of a German commerce
raider in an arm Of the North sea.
The Probable New Line.
The hills on the northern bank
of the Ailette generally are not as
high as those on the south and the
crown prince may have gone back
to the line Of the river Ardon, which
runs southwest from Laon and joins
the Ailette north of Chavignon. IL
is improbable the Germans did not
retire across the Ailette. as not to do
so might place them in q worse po-
sition than on top of the ridge The |
retirement might include Laon, the
reputed southern citadel Of the Hin
denburg line OF last March, but II
the front OF the Ailette is given up. |
a line from st. Quentin through La
Fere, Laon and Montaige to Neuf-
chatel- sur Aisne, along the railroad |
between La Fere and Neufchatel !
Aight offer a good halting place. A
retirement only to the northern bank
Of the Ailette between Chavignon |
and Craonne might not affect the |
line from Chavignon north to st, |
Quentin, but a further retreat would |
involve the present lines as far as |
La Fere at least. On the eastern end |
Of the Chemin- des-Dames. IL the re- |
tiTement is not made secure quickly.
there is the possibility of a French |
blow in Champagne which might |
straighten out the entire front from !
Craonne TO Verdun.
Cadorna Has Halted.
General Cadorna' has halted on the |
western bank of the Tagliamento, |
at least. to face the on
coming Austro Germans. The east
ern bank of the river. Berlin reports /
has been cleared of Italians from /
Fella valley, where the Tagliamento
turns westward near Tolmezzo to the
Adriatic.
Italian guns are bombing the in
vaders along the new line but ap-
parently no attempt has yet been
made by the Austro- Germans TO
force a crossing of the river. There
are no indications as to the where
abouts of the Austro- Germans re-
ported driving through the Carnic
Alps early in the week In an attempt
to turn the flank Of the Tagliamento.
Reports from Switzerland say the
Germans are hurrying troops and
guns into the Trentino. This might
mean either to strengthen the Aus
trians there or to start a drive south
from Trent in an attempt to cut on
he Italians now on the Venetian
plains.
Count Won Hertling, It Is ANNOUNCE
ed officially from Berlin, has been
appointed imperial German chancei-
oT, in succession TO DIR. Georg Mich
aelis, who retires TO another, but un-
named. official position. The new
chancellor apparently has the sup
Il