The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-04-17
British Papers Say Ypres Is in
Peril.
Should Not Minimize Serious
ness of Situation.
12O GERMAN DIVISIONS USED
More Fresh Troops Are Being
Brought From Russia.
Growing Weight Of Huns Is
Most Important.

London, April 17.-There is no in
clination here to minimize the serious
ness of the loss of Bailleul and the pos
sibility that it may lead to the neces-
sity of evacuating Ypres and Pass
chendaele. Under the heading, They
still advance" the Daily Mail says
that up to this time in their advance,
! the Germans have been in marshy
ground. Yesterday they captured the
first of the important ridges by storm
ing Wytschaete, being aided by the
fall of Bailleul and thus THE security
of the Ypres salient, so long the bull
wark of our left and touched with
such immortal memories to US, is i'm
perilled."
The Daily Graphic thinks it would
be wise to withdraw the British
troops from Ypres and Passchendaele
Ito avoid the risk of their being cut
off and compelled to surrender" 1t
continues:
That the situation is made more
serious by the loss of BailleuI is OBJ
vious and it would be dishonest to
pretend otherwise
Germany Wants a Decision.
The paper adds, however, that as
long as the allied armies remain un-
broken, Germany's purpose is not at
tained, while she is eXhausting herself
in order to force a decision
Correspondents on the front say the
Germans have used up 120 of the
zoo divisions in the west and have
been compelled to bring another two
divisions from Russia.
| These unpleasant reverses must be
faced steadily" says the Times
I Their significance must neither be
| minimized or exaggerated. Far more
serious than the loss of ground is the
revelation of the growing weight of
Ut
Hear Too Much Against Hunssss9
We hear far too much of tile
| enemy's losses, mistakes, difficulties
and of their failure to reach appointed
| objectives on particular days and not
half enough about the serious ia
that they are still bringing fresh
| divisions from Russia
I The Times says the enemy will con-
tinue drawing on their reserves in
Russia until allied statesmen stop
| dreaming vain dreams about Russia
and do something practical to COM
! pei the enemy to cease depicting the
Russian front"
! Ypres Is Exposed.
The German thrust against Ypres
| itself appeared to be developing today
| The capture of Bailleul and Wyts-
| chaete and occupation of a portion of
the famous Messines ridge has partial
| ly exposed Ypres from the south,
| Haig last night reported fighting
along this entire front, from Wyts-
chaete to Meteren, eight miles to the
west and south.
| From this front, the fighting has
spread to the east and northeast of
! Ypres, extending northward of the
Ypres-Comines canal for the first time
since the German drive started in
Flanders, April 8.
Ypres Always Held by British.
! The British commander said there
was increased artillery activity in the
Passchendaele sector This is the
salient" Passchendaele is six miles
northeast of Ypres- Included in this
salient are such historic places as
! Zillebeke. Hooge, Zonnebake- Blk
| schoote, St. Julien and the Menin road.
The northern end of the salient swings
! around the western edge of Douthulst
| forest
! Ypres has always withstood the
! Germans and has been the center of
some of the bloodiest fighting of the
war. 1t is regarded as doubtful that
/ the enemy will attempt to take it by a
! frontal assault.
Efforts of Huns Continue
! The cannonading reported in this
sector may presage an attack which
| will be in the nature of a demonStra-
/ ton to prevent British reinforcements
| being sent from this part of the front
| southwark to the front between
| Wytschaete and Meteren.
| Hindenburg is also expected to con-
| tinue his efforts to drive westward
! from Meteren and northwestward
from Merville against Hazebrouck.
! Increased activities in the Saloniki
/ sector were reported in an official
statement today, which described