Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-07-08
HUNS HAVE THIRTY
OR FORTY DIVISIONS
Allies Busy strengthening Positions
Captured During Past Week-com-
parative Quiet on American Sectors
During sunday-German Leaders
Trying to Force Austria to Undertake
Another Offensive in italy.
[By the Associated PRESS. ]


the making on the western front.
The IuIl Of the past few days can
not continue long and il is now
probably the Germans will break il
by hurting their masses at the
allied line in an attempt to break
thru.
Correspondents at the front who
say 4 German blow !. impending
can not give grounds for the belief
The Germans have had time to pre-
pare for new blows and they arc
kns.:=-:. &c have th:-.y 81 forty div;-
sions to throw into tho fray.
meanwhile the allies are busy
strengthening the positions taken
from the enemy in tho past week.
Raids are being carried out hero
and there, but not in great strength
except in the raids Of the Austria
Iians, who have moved forward 400
yards on a front Of more than .
mile in the HameI region, south Of
the Somme.
Again the ) Australians have
; made . successful forward plunge
the Somme sector, northeast Of
Amisns. whore, with some Ameri.
can hstp, they. carrisd out their
brilliant operation OF last week.
a The latest drive by the ransy
mon from the Artipodes, launched
last night, rssuitsd in what 10 de-
scribed by the British official state
n1snt as a slight advance.
The aggregate Of the ground
gained recently n this area, how
ever, has been considerable, and
the slow progress made apparently
has affected q considerable move
mont in British positions along
front Of two miles on both sides Of
/the Somrne.
), While the British thus are fort
flying themselves against the ex-
peeted German renewal Of tho Of
fensvs. the French are engaged in
an artillery duel an, the westerly
side of the Marne Salient.
w ith tho help of the Americans
northeast Of Chateau Thierry the
allied line has been straishtened
and improved in anticipation Of
another German offensive. The
French are replying spiritedly to
the German bombardment. In the
wooded area there offers a big OBJ
staeIe to the German advance.
Other artillery .actons ade re-
ported southwardly along the front
to tho Marne, but these seem not
to have affected the American Sec
tor notably, a. the news dispatch
es from tho American front report
comparatively quiet night and easy
conditions this modning.
There is tension all along the
front, however, in expectation Of
tho Germans breaking lose at any
second with their new drive and
American air scouts are extreme-
Iy busy in watching German move
ments.
Tho American sectors have been
quiet since tho activities Of Sun
day, when the French made a slight
advance in the Chateau Thierry
sector on the front adjoining the
Americans.
On the Italian front the Italians
are consolidating and strengthening
the positions taken near the mouth
Of tho Piave.
Vienna admits tho loss Of the
ground east and southeast Of Cape
SiIe, which was tho nearest the
enemy got to Venice. ! There has
been slight activity in the mountain
zone. s@
London, July s.-Australian trooy
ast night advanced their line astrit
he Somme slightly on a front OF 3.0t
ards, says the official report frol
feld Marshal Haig today.
The German artillery displayed az
ivity in the Somme region during II
light. It was simultaneously active
he vicinity Of Beaumont -hamel an
n the Flanders front In the neighbol
ood OF Bethune The statment reads
Last night Australian troops at
anced their line slightly on a frol
( 1000 yards astride the river Somm
apturing several prisoners A success,
ul raid by Scottish troops south ,
.aBassee canal, resulted In the captu,
a few prisoners. q
The enemy trenches also were eI
cred east Of Hazebrouch by Austria
Ian troops. few prisoners lbein
rought back
Hostile artillery has been acti,
stride the Somme as result of o,
perations and also west Of Beaumont
Ianel and in the neighborhood /
'ethune."
Quiet in American Sectors. L 4
[By the Associated Press
With the American Army in Franc,
uly S.-Altho the entire front con
ss:.s. - e