Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-04-24
ATTACK MADE
on LINES NEAR
AM|ENS FRONT
Greatest ( Pressure Near
Albert in Effort to
Widen Salient.
BATTLE OPENS ON
: TWENTY.MILE FRONT
Greater Part Of This Line Held by
sritish-Germans Still Hope to Split
Armies of British and French at
their Junetion-Artliery Bombard-
ment Precedes Attack Of Infantry
Germans Thrown Back.

the Gernans plunged desperately
and failed to reach last month,
was resumed TODAY.
In the effort to push toward
this alleged base after az two
weeks interval, the enemy this
morning launched heavy attack
or = front OF approximately twen-
ty miles. The line at which the
Germans are again thrown extends
from the district north OF Albert.
northeast Of Amiens, to the Avre
I river, southeast of the city. Nearly
all this front is held. by the Brit
ish, whose line links up with the
French at The river Luce, about
three miles north of the Avre.
Correspondents dispatches from
Sthef ront indicate that the infan-
ttry fighting on the northern front
is continuing today, altho it had
not developed up to this afternoon
how serious the enemy movement
in this region was.
A heavy bombardment Of the
British position on both sides of
the river Lave was opened early
this morning and an infantry at
tack folIowing would mean q drive
! toward Bethune, past which the
Lave runs 10 a northcasterly di-
v6etion. The Germans were badly
.defsated last week in an all-day
attack on this front.
In view Of the reports from both
the Somme and the Flanders front
.it may be that the Germans will
simultaneously resume attacks in
each sector, with Amiens and
Bethune or Hazebrouck as the re-
speetive objectives.
It has been regarded as almost
insvitahIe that the Germans again
would strike here as the advance
Of their right flank was stopped
short by the strong British resist
ance at Abort, tagging far behind
their left, which was. pushed at
casteI to within short distance
Of the Paris-Amiens railway. A
further driving in Of the wedge
south Of Amiens was thus virtually
impossible unless the line to the
north also could be advanced. The
attack here Furthermore presents
continuation Of the persistent
German effort to push in between
the French and British.
The comparatively narrow field
in which the enemy could attack
with reasonable expectation Of
profit to himself has thus given the
! Allies warning, largely eliminating
as
was 90 strong factor in the earl
ier German success.
The Germans have been working
Z strong artillery fire along virtu-
ally the whole British southern
front for days, but the preliminary
intensive bombardment was Of
comparatively short duration.
The drum fire began early this
! morning, followed shortly by the
advance Of the infantry.
What apparently was intended as
. 4 surprise blow, without artillery
preparation, was launched last
evening near Albert. The British
wers on tho alert and met the at
tack, driving back the enemy.
4 "a Me4uWUu0 tn0 eucUy mas Uau
tanned sufficient pressure in the
4 FI,ndcrs area TO keep the Anglo
( French forces occupied there.
3 Taking advantage Of the lulI in
Z German offensive movements Field
Y Marshal Hais improved his posi-
tions on tho Flanders field with
successful local attacks.
Near Robecq he has again ad
vancsd his lines slightly, captur-
ind moro than 100 prisoners and
some machine guns. Success also
attended 4 local attack by the
British near Meteren, west of
BaiIleul and the nearest point to
! haxebrouek the Germans have
reached.
with the British Army in France
April 24.-The Germans began a heaS
,ombardmentx Of British position
,outh Of the somme this morning an
ates reports tsates that the attack i
n progress.
German bombardment of the Brit,