The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-04-11

EtO DIVISIONS (<,9OOrOO HSH1 VIII
more coming. Divisions which were
mauIed during March are refif..ng and
refittine and being cheered up with
tales Of big advances and approach
ing victory.
Hindenburg's force 10 the biggest IN
the history of the world and he has
the greatest network Of railways and
highways.
The allies, fighting like lions, are
crying:
"come on America"
! British Withdraw From Armentieres.
LONDON, April 11.-Field Marshal
Haig today announced the withdrawal
of the British forces from Armentieres.
Eve have withdrawn from Armen-
there's. which is full of gas" Haig
said
"The battle Is continuing on the
whole front from the LaBassee canal
to the Ypres-Comines canal. There is
severe fighting in the neighborhood Of
the Lave and Lys rivers from about
Lestrem to Armentieres.
North OF Armentieres there is little
change. In the neighborhood of Ploeg-
steert Messines and Wytschaete,
there was heavy fighting until late
hour last night"
Few Submarine Victims.
LONDON, April 1.-THE number
of British merchantmen sunk during
the week ending April was the small
est since November II, 1917, accord
ing to figures announced by the admir-
atty.
Four ships OF more than 1000 tons,
two of less and two fishing boats
were destroyed by submarines or
mines. The week ending November
II, last year. when one craft of more
than 1000 tons and five of less were
sunk was the lowest mark in tonnage
destroyed since the boat campaign
was inaugurated February %, 1917.
Advance by Germans.
by William Philip Simms, United
Press Staff Correspondent
WITH THE BRITISH ARMIES IN
FRANCE, April 1.-THE Germans
have reached the neighborhood OF
Steenwerck, (four and a half miles
west Of Armentieres and two miles
north of the Lys river, it is reported.
as this is cabled
The enemy also is reported to have
CdSilCu lllS cO5e VI E<StdlIcS
miles and a half south and west of
Steenwerck) and to be in the western
half OF Ploegsteert wood. just outside
the ruins of the villages Of Messines
and Wichaete.
man artillery began Smelling Martin
sart and Englebelmer
Wednesdays fighting continued
throughout the night in the new sal
lent north OF the St Maur bridgehead.
General Van Quasi enlarged his gains.
Once the enemy occupied La Creche,
Nieppe, Ploegsteert, Messines and
Wytehaete. but the British counter at
tackled heavily. driving them out of
LaCreche, Nieppe, Messines, Wytsch-
aete and retaking the west half of
Ploegsteert.
Around Messines and Wytschaete,
the fighting yesterday was particularly
heavy. These places were taken and
retaken several times in hand to hand
struggles
Steenwerck and LaCreche were the
scenes Of similar fighting.
On the southern part Of the battle
front the fighting was desultory.
[Simms' dispatch shows that the
British. after evacuating Armentieres
Officially announced by Haig-retir-
ed at least four miles and half north
westward. Their counter attack threw
the Germans back a portion Of this
distance.
LaCreche is four miles and half
northwest of Armentieres on the Bail
leul-Armentieres highway. Steen-
werck is the same distance from Arm
entieres and a mile and a half south
of LaCreche. Nieppe is midway be-
tween LaCreche and Armentieres on
the Bailleul-Arme ntieres highway.
Messines is four miles due north of
Armentieres and Wytschaete is two
miles north Of Messines Ploegsteert
is midway between Messines and Arm
entries
While Awaiting America.
by J. w. T. Mason, Written for the
United Press.1
NEW YORK, April Ito permit
Won Hindenburg to wear out Ger
many's man power in persistent Of
fensives along the west front IS more
and more being demonstrated as the
best strategy the allies can adopt
while waiting for Americas full bat
tie strength to arrive in France.
Every major attack such as the one
Hindenburg is now developing in the
Armentieres sector Is playing Ameri-
cas- game better than anything else
the Germans could do. AS long as the
allied line is not broken In the west.
Hindenburg's slaughter of his men
will make Americas task the less diff
ticult when at last General Pershing
10 fully prepared to strike.
So long as the German people do
not openly revolt against linden
hnrg,s man-tiIling policy lust so lnng