Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-04-17


London, April 1.-THE battle in
Flanders is raging today with in
credible intensity, .teIegraphs the
Reuter-. correspondent with the
British army in France. :
AZ far as reports indicate, the
battle is going in favor Of the
British.
notwithstanding the desperate
attacks q ~ NGermans, they have
gained no further ground since
Tussday- morning and apparently
they havs lost sonfe.
NJ Tie British at dusk Tuesday
were advancing in the neishbor-
\peed ~ Wytsehaste, south Of
yTprSs, and swsrs reported again to
- ke.ding the ground which they
/ had let
According 10 4 Reuter- telegram
Vfam British headquarters in
France, the Germans arb making
vigorous attacks in the direction Of
M atern, but tho position Of the
enemy in that neighborhood is
i obscure. Near Robecq tho enemy
+. shelJjnu the British lines viaor-
ousiy.
During his three years expert
enee in the war zone the corre-
spondent says he had never heard
such ipaS.mittent gun fire which
has gone on since Tuesday morn
ing and which continued this corn
ing.
Among the numerous enemy at
taeks Tuesday afternoon and eve
nina on the 4 Northern front in
Flanders, one in force in the ST.
Iebeke sector, was disastrous for
the Germans, whose massed waves
were shot down at close range.
They apparently were ordered to
retire and then guns got on their
Hank and the slaughter was appal'
ling.
With the Ypres salient in north
western Belgium menaeed by the
continued advance Of the Germans
OF, the Lys battle front the British
have begun TO Withdraw from this
advanced line. Today's official re-
port from Field Marshal Hais's
headquarters announces what is at
least a partial withdrawal from
the Ypres sector. The British for
ward positions have been given up.
The, withdrawal was carried out in
perfect order without enemy inter-
ference.
Apparently the retrograde move
ment is pivoting on the Wytschaete
sector, where London reports sue
\ cessful counter attacks carried out /
ON the Germans who yesterday
captured the town Of Wytsehaete,
near the higher point Of the eastern
= ~Messines ridge and who pre-
spmabiy pushed out somewhat be-
--yofd the town. They were unoffi-
ciaIiy reported, indeed, as having
advanced to st. EIoi, mile and
half north Of Wytschaete, two
miles west Of HoIIebeke and about
six miles directly south Of Ypres.
M st. EIoi is on the old battle line
as il existed before the British be-
gan their offensive last year, TAX
ing Messinss ridge, later pushing
on and gradually absorbing all Of :
the PasschendaeIe ridge, the con-
.tinuation Of the spur to thetnortt-
1 east. (
This may be an indication that
I the British retirement is to the line
Eof the spring Of 1917, aItho such a
\ Withdrawal would INCLUDE the
abandonment Of the entire Pas
sehepdaeie position as we'll as the
4 EMsssines ridge area, from the !
greater part Of which they have
been driven, in the present battle.
III would leave the town Of Ypres,
However, still in British hands, .
There seems no danger at pre-
Sent Of 4 retirement on any. much
y larger scale than this on the north /,
sfn end Of the Franco Belgian line
- result Of the recent German
y %euccssses- Z,
The line as whole appears like
IL 70 hold az long az the railway
communications supporting Il are
-lntact. Apparently the security Of
tises communications has beens
provided Tor BY ma ssira Of LARGE
troops, IN the northwest Lys battle
Y front.
Ths German objective here Is