The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1917-04-20
WAR notes

The French troops In the Depart
ments of the Aisne and the Marine have
delivered a violent infantry attack
against the Germans over front of
twenty five miles, and made impor-
tant gains of terrain, and captured more
! than 10000 prisoners and large guam
titles of war material. The battle took
place between Scissors and Rheims,
and over distance of eighteen and one
half miles. From Scissors to Craonne
the entire German first-line positions
fell into the hands of Gen. Nivelles
forces, while east of Craonne second
line German position south of Juvin-
court and another position on the out
skirts Of Bermericourt running along
the Aisne Canal to Louvre and Courcy
also were captured. Violent counter
attacks delivered by the Germans on
several sectors We're repulsed with
heavy casualties to the attackers.
Up to the time that the rainstorms
began Monday afternoon the British
had captured from the Germans the
village of Villeret, southeast of Har-
gicourt and eight miles from st. Quen-
tin, and also had made additional prog
ress northwest of Lens. During the
week that the British offensive has
been going on Field Marshal Sir Doug
las Haigs forces have made prisoners
of $4,000 German and captured 1874
guns and large quantities OF war stores.
o.
Tentative votes in the House Mill
tary Committee yesterday disclosed a
majority in favor of making provision
for volunteers in the war army plans
which as drawn by the General Staff
and approved by President Wilson, are
based entirely upon the selective draft
system Various methods of raising
and organizing the great fighting force
for which the President asks have been
advanced by members opposing inn
mediate application Of the draft, rang
ing from a proposal to eliminate the
draft provision entirely to Chairman
Dents scheme to authorize a call for
100000 volunteers and authorize the
President to resort to the draft II the
volunteers do not come forward in
reasonable time. The Administration
is standing squarely upon the General
Staffs unanimous opinion that the vol
unteer system can have no place, be-
yond the enlistments in the regulars or
National Guard, in the raising and
training of the army needed.
Anything and everything In the way
of small craft, from destroyers to tugs,
would be the most useful contribution
that the United States could make to
the war gainst submarines, in the opin-
ion of Sir John Jellicoe, First Sea Lord
of the British navy. 1t is his opinion
that the best hunting ground for sub !
marines is ON the British coast, as the
possibility of operating on the Ameri-
can coast is almost negligible, unless
they have base on this side. The Ad-
miral is concerned about the things
American inventive genius will con-
tribute to the naval warfare under the
new conditions imposed by submarines.
o.
All persons in the United States, citi-
zens and aliens. are warned in proc
lamation issued by President Wilson
that reasonable acts or attempts to
shield those committing such acts will
be vigorously prosecuted by the Gov
ernment Declaration is made that ali
resident aliens as we'll as citizens owe
allegiance to the United States, and
therefore, are equally subject to the
laws against treason and like crimes.