Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-07-13
French Strike With Force
and Success on Picardy
Battlefield.
FOE DRIVEN BACK
ON AMIENS SECTOR
Further Gains Will Endanser German
Positions Below Montdidier7+Enemy
Being Forced Slowly From High Posi-.
tions-Bad Weather on British Front
Hamperins German Plans For Re-
newal Of Offensive.


smashes by the allies into the Ger
man lines between Ypres and
Rheims. For more than two weeks
the allies have been iammina into
the German defenses here and there
and tho results now are just as
favorable as at the beginning. For
the first time since the attrition
campaign was undertaken the
French have struck with force on
tho Pieardy battlefield.
Along the Avre river, northwest
Of Montdidier, the French advanc-
ed their lines more than a mile on
front Of three miles and captured
over 500 prisoners.
This blow, like the recent ones
by the British astride the Somme
has driven the enemy back on a
sector vital to the defense Of
Amiens, the objective Of the Ger
man offensive begun on March Fl.
In capturing castei on the strong
fortified positions, tho French have
advanced almost to the western
bank Of the Avre. Further gains
southwark toward MailIy Raine-,
vale will endanssr seriously the
German positions below Montdidisr.
. In IN advance toward Amisns the
Germans either would follow the
Somms or 90 up the valley Of the
Avrs, which joins the somme near
Avre. =
Between the Aisne and the Marne
The Germans still do not seriously
hampsr tho French gains east Of
the forest Of VilIers. .cotterets.
Several villages and fortified farms.
including Corey and Longpont, have
been taken by tho French this
week, but tho Germans have made
no serious efforts to retake the
positions and are slowly being
forced of the high ground.
Bad weather continues on the
British front. The German artillery
fire is strong on tho Lys salient.
At Bocquoy, between Albert and
Arras, the British drove off Ger
man raiders. Continuation Of The
rain on the British front may
hamper German plans, as the
battle grounds Of Flanders and
Picardy are likely to turn into seas
Of mud. Rain has been falling
of ard oil Oh :he British t-ea. Sc.
five days.
Germany now reports. that the
sixth American airplane which was
flying In the squadron toward
cobIenz was brought down. Thurs
day il announced that Eve out Of
six machines, with their crews, had
fallen into German hands.
Franco Italian successes in Al
bania has enabled the allies to
establish a connected battle line
over a stretch of 200 miles from,
saIoniki to the Adriatie. The ItaI-
ians rapidly are clearing up the
territory taken from the Austrians
in western Albania, preparing for
further attacks.
Between Berat and Lake ochrida
the French have occupied all the
territory between tho DevoIi and
Tomoriea rivrs, except near the
confluence. where the Austrians
still hold out. Prisoners taken by
kslIsA eoIIomoI su3 v! uoysIi sY3
have increased to 400.
Supporting the allies. the now
government set up in Siberia has
proclaimed Lieutenant General
Horvath az provisional ruler. Gan.
eral Horvath, who for many years
was Russia's commander at Har-
bin and general manager Of the
Chinese Eastern railway, the east
ern link Of the trans Siberian sys-
tenn, 10 anti German and anti.
bolshevik.
Last night was rather less active
than has been the case recently In
the way Of fresh enterprises by The
entente troops under tho present
plan Of pounding the German lines
here and there at frequent inter-
walls.
The French, however, were On.
gagged in a lively little operation In
the region northwest Of compissns,
whore, early in the week, they
pushed sharply into the German
lines At the apex Of Tho wedge
formed when the Germans were
compelled to halt their abortivs
rush toward Paris on the Mont
didier- r-Noyon front last month.
The action Of last evsninS carried
the French advanced limo ahead
moro than quarter Of mile in
the Porte farm region, to the west
Of the compiesne road, running
past Anthsuil. SIS
They also carried out raidin0 OPP
erations in the region Of the Ayrs,
southeast Of Amisns, In the vicinity
Of the line an which THAR ns,oeoaa.