The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1918-04-26
.LULL COMES OVER
TREMENDOUS FIGHT
BOTH SIDES ARE PROBABLY Ex-
HAusTED AND ARE BRING
ING UP FRESH TROOPS.
BATTLEFIELD is QUAGMIRE
Rain, Sleet and Cold Adding to Al,
ready Bad Condition of Lowlands-
Talk of Counter Attack Contin-
ues-ltaIians on West Front.

Over the battlefields of France and
Flanders, where terrific struggles have
been waged almost without inter1nis-
sion since March p, there has come
what appears to be lull.
Official reports tell little of actual
conditions. They say that the stua-
ton is unchanged which may indi-
cate that both sides are exhausted by
their exertions in the engagements that
have been fought or that they are busy
bringing up artillery and fresh troops
to renew the struggle.
Correspondents at the front tell of
miserable weather-cold and rain and
sleet-to add to the already known
bad conditions of the lowlands, which
are virtually quagmires through which
men and materials can be moved only
with difficulty.
The opposing armies have been
fighting in flat, marshy country
since April 9. and this ground. diff
cult enough under normal conditions.
has been made still more nearly i'm
passable by rains and the tempest of
high explosive shells that has blasted
roads and fields.
Britons Hold Canal
1t appears. however, that the Ger
mans have not repeated the thrusts
along the line running north of Be
thune, where they met with a san
culinary repulse Wednesday and Thurs
day. They employed about 10000 men |
along line variously reported TO be |
from six to 10 miles in length. but |
gained little or no ground. The La |
Bassee canal front is still in British |
hands and bridges flung across it by |
the Teutons have been swept away by |
the allied artillery fire.
Talk of Counter.
The blow aimed by the French at
the very apex of the German lines
in Picardy, in front of Amiens. APP
parently has not been followed up. 1t
is difficult to believe that the allied
counter offensive, when it comes, will
be launched in this sector Advices
from France would seem to indicate
that the blow will be struck at an
other part of the battle line
Outlet in South.
The southern end of the battle
front in France has shared in the
quiet that has enveloped other sec
tors of the line. Only raiding opera
tons and artillery duels are reported
there
An interesting dispatch tells of the
moving of Italian troops TO France.
hi int - u
Either the Italian front
is in no particular danger at the pres
ent moment, or else General Foch is
calling every available man to swell
the army he will hurl at the foe when {
the moment for battle arrives 1t is
possible, however. that the forces of
italians en- route to the front is COM
Daratively small.
Belgian Positions SheIIed.
The German torpedo boat flotilla =
has been active along the coast sector :.
If the battle line and has shelled Bel !
,ian positions there. This may fore :,
shadow German attempt TO drive y
westward through Newport. The long :
ange bombardment of Paris ceased =
VI t"o uass anu IL was Hopeu tliat b
he French had found the exact lOca- >,
ion of a heavy German gun and put if :;
ut of action. This hope, however. =
allied when the bombardment of Paris =.
vas resumed Friday evening. l,
The Turks are continuing their adj | "
ance in Caucasia and are approaching
lars, the leading city of one of the 4,
istricts given to Turkey under the fl
'rest-Litovsk treaty. They are already 81
q control of Batum, where they cap Al
nred 300 men of whom 600 were Of
icers.
In Italy, Macedonia, Palestine and
there has been no re-
ent fighting reported.