Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-01-24
Feeling Out Process Featur-
ed on all Fronts From
North Sea South.
SMASHING BLOWS
MAY FOLLOW SOON
Tension Increases in Antici-
patton of Early Onslaughts
by Either Party.

On tho western front in Franco
and Belgium, and on the Italian
front. where the contendinG
armies of the chief bclligerents
in the world war have displayed
little activity for some time. Of
cial reports announce q resump-
tiOn of hoStilities Of unusual nc.
tivity for winter months. While
tho operations mentioned in the
statements from the various army
headquarters are OF little consc-
qucncc from a military view, vet
the general extent of the activity
indicates that Developments of
considerable magnitude are In
immediate prospect.
increased all along the western front
and raiding parties and air fighting
have been resumed under more favor
able conditions. The success Of a Ger
man raid on British trenches west of
La Bassee is announced by the British
official communication, which claims.
however that another hostile party
In the Nieuport sector the French
war office announces the recapture Of
ground gained by the enemy in a raid
Wednesday morning. The French
statement also says that the artillery
is active in the Chaume wood front
and in the sector of Hill S44 and
claims the failure of an enemy attack
at the former place. More intense ar
tillery firing between the Adige and
Brenta valleys is reported in the Ital-
ian official statement, which also tells
of small engagements on the right
bank of the Piave and on the south
eastern slopes OF Monte Spinoncia.
King Albert in his reply to Pope
Benedicts peace note declares that
p41en NAr 49, 1Svl
upon the guarantee Of absolute polit-
ical, economic and territorial inde-
pendence. s
Evidence Of unrest among the peo-
pie in Austria and Germany continue
to reach the outside world, through
Switzerland and Holland. News of the
Austrian strikes and peace demands
appear to be generally known in Ger
many despite the efforts Of the CEN
ans hope that the German workers
would follow their lead, however, has
not materialized. due probably to the
ever powerful military party.
North Mountains Evacuated
Italian Army Headquartert in
Northern Italy, Wednesday, Jan.;;23.-
my has evacuated territory on the
northern mountain front behind
Monte Tomba, extending from the
Piave river westward. Their defense
lines have now been moved back to
Monte Spinoncia-
Italian patrols making reconnais.
ances in the last few days found that
the enemy patrols and sentinels had
been withdrawn and later discovered
that the enemy, had abandoned tho
entire region.
This retreat is sequel to the bril-
liant victory French troops recently
obtained on Monte Tomba, inasmuch
as the enemy's position thereafter be-
came untenable.
The retirement Of the enemy is inn
portant as showing that he has given
up his effort to force passage to the
Venetian plains by way Of Monte
Tomba and the west bank Of the
Piave, at least for the present He in
now constructing defensive works in
the rear.
Small Raid Reported.
Paris. Jan. 24.-"There is nothing
to report, except a raid east of Aube-
| rive. in which we took prisoners,"
says today's official announcement
Nothing Doing.
To NM.